Nigeria coach Lars Lagerback has advised African countries to look the way of indigenous coaches and trust in continuity if they hope to do well at major tournaments.
All but one of Africa's six representatives at the 2010 World Cup are coached by foreigners, with Algeria the only exception. And with three already eliminated, Lagerback suggested that Africans may need to look inwards in the future and give the coaches more time.
"What is the problem for Africa in general? The only thing I can see, and I am not sure if I am right is that maybe they need a little bit more continuity.
"I have talked to Kanu a little bit about that and maybe the players that have been around and played for a long time, I hope that they could come back into the African countries and work as coaches and help to influence the development of football in their countries.
"I think a person like Kanu could be perfect for that kind of position if he wants to go into coaching himself."
Kanu agreed, but said he was looking more at going into football administration.
"When it comes to reading the game, I dont think there is anybody who can read the game better than I can. But when things are going wrong, it is always from the top, and that is where we have to start from if we want to make a difference.
"Right now, I don’t know if I want to go into coaching, but it is something I have to go back and think about."
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
I can’t be bought over – Jega
ABUJA—The Chairman-designate of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, yesterday, told the Senate that judging from the assurances he received from the Presidency when he was nominated for the appointment, he did not envisage any interference in the discharge of his duties.
Prof. Jega, who was grilled by the Senate for over four hours, stressed that the compilation of a credible voter’s register which, he noted, was vital to the conduct of a credible election; internal re-organisation in INEC and the actual preparations for the 2011 elections were his main challenges.
N50 million can’t sway me, says Jega
The chairman-designate, who was ushered into the Senate chambers by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Abba Aji, at 11:16 a.m. told senators that he would not be swayed or bought over by any amount of money.
In an answer to a question as to whether he would faint at the sight of a N50million bribe, Jega said as a vice-chancellor of a federal university, ”I have seen more than N50 million.’
When asked whether he still agree with the recommendations of the Uwais committee of which he was a member, Jega said though he still believed in the report, neither he nor any member of the committee had an illusion that the report would be implemented hundred per cent.
“The fact of the matter is that members of the Uwais committee of which I am privileged to be one, were very patriotic Nigerians. They have studied all the problems and have made appropriate recommendations.
They believe that those recommendations if taken holistically will go a very long way in addressing the problems of elections in this country. I do not think any of us has any illusions.
” Our role was to recommend, but it is unlikely that everything that we recommended will be taken. No matter how strongly you feel about specific recommendations. So, as far as I am concerned, the key issue is whether the constitution is respected, the Electoral Act is complied with and there is due process in this regard. So, if I look at the Electoral Act, the constitution, I think I am satisfied with it.”
‘Presidency can’t influence me’
On whether he would succumb to pressure from the President if he ever comes under such pressure, Jega stated: ”I think frankly I do not expect that this issue will arise. I am satisfied so far about the assurances I have got from the Presidency about commitment to free and fair election.
And, in any case, my relationship with the Presidency is defined by law and the constitution and God willing, that will guide us to have a seamless relationship in dealing with issues of conflict if indeed, the need arise.”
On credible voter-register
On the centrality of a credible voter-register to the credibility of the elections, Jega said the commission under his leadership will work towards ensuring that the voter-register represents the true position of registered voters in the country
On the issue of election violence, Prof. Jega said he would collaborate with the police and other security agencies to ensure that appropriate sanctions were brought to bear on perpetrators of violence.
He said: “In terms of the perceived roles of the police and INEC staff in rigging elections, I want to say that what we intend to do and what I will do certainly, if confirmed as chairman of INEC, is to ensure that right from the outset there is dialogue.
”There is interaction and reviews in terms of our relationship with the police and other security agencies and indeed, with all stakeholders and obviously the success of an election is predicated not only on the personality of INEC chairman but the commitment of the other members of the commission. It is a partnership. We must build it as such.
“It is a priority issue for us to engage the leadership of the Police to see how we can prepare the Police to see how we can have a free, fair and credible elections and I believe that as a commission come out with very concrete strategies of engagement of examining the cause problems and ensuring that we adopt measures and strategies in order for past mistakes are not repeated either with the Police or any other group of stakeholders.”.
On corrupt INEC officials
On the perceived corruption of members of INEC, the chairman-designate said he and his team would have zero-tolerance for corruption but promised that he would work out a system of compensation and reward for staff of the commission to insulate them from corrupt practices.
He denied media reports that he was a consultant to INEC, pointing out that, “I have never been a consultant to INEC. I know that there has been a lot of speculations in the newspapers.
”Well, as an academic, once in a while, I get invited to give paper presentations as a resource person and as somebody who has studied elections in Nigeria, I have been invited three times or so by the then INEC boss mostly before the 2007 elections to present papers.
I have made paper presentation as resource person. I am not a consultant to INEC. Most of the consultancy jobs I have done are through the Bayero University Consultancy Services,” he added.
Prof. Jega, who was grilled by the Senate for over four hours, stressed that the compilation of a credible voter’s register which, he noted, was vital to the conduct of a credible election; internal re-organisation in INEC and the actual preparations for the 2011 elections were his main challenges.
N50 million can’t sway me, says Jega
The chairman-designate, who was ushered into the Senate chambers by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Abba Aji, at 11:16 a.m. told senators that he would not be swayed or bought over by any amount of money.
In an answer to a question as to whether he would faint at the sight of a N50million bribe, Jega said as a vice-chancellor of a federal university, ”I have seen more than N50 million.’
When asked whether he still agree with the recommendations of the Uwais committee of which he was a member, Jega said though he still believed in the report, neither he nor any member of the committee had an illusion that the report would be implemented hundred per cent.
“The fact of the matter is that members of the Uwais committee of which I am privileged to be one, were very patriotic Nigerians. They have studied all the problems and have made appropriate recommendations.
They believe that those recommendations if taken holistically will go a very long way in addressing the problems of elections in this country. I do not think any of us has any illusions.
” Our role was to recommend, but it is unlikely that everything that we recommended will be taken. No matter how strongly you feel about specific recommendations. So, as far as I am concerned, the key issue is whether the constitution is respected, the Electoral Act is complied with and there is due process in this regard. So, if I look at the Electoral Act, the constitution, I think I am satisfied with it.”
‘Presidency can’t influence me’
On whether he would succumb to pressure from the President if he ever comes under such pressure, Jega stated: ”I think frankly I do not expect that this issue will arise. I am satisfied so far about the assurances I have got from the Presidency about commitment to free and fair election.
And, in any case, my relationship with the Presidency is defined by law and the constitution and God willing, that will guide us to have a seamless relationship in dealing with issues of conflict if indeed, the need arise.”
On credible voter-register
On the centrality of a credible voter-register to the credibility of the elections, Jega said the commission under his leadership will work towards ensuring that the voter-register represents the true position of registered voters in the country
On the issue of election violence, Prof. Jega said he would collaborate with the police and other security agencies to ensure that appropriate sanctions were brought to bear on perpetrators of violence.
He said: “In terms of the perceived roles of the police and INEC staff in rigging elections, I want to say that what we intend to do and what I will do certainly, if confirmed as chairman of INEC, is to ensure that right from the outset there is dialogue.
”There is interaction and reviews in terms of our relationship with the police and other security agencies and indeed, with all stakeholders and obviously the success of an election is predicated not only on the personality of INEC chairman but the commitment of the other members of the commission. It is a partnership. We must build it as such.
“It is a priority issue for us to engage the leadership of the Police to see how we can prepare the Police to see how we can have a free, fair and credible elections and I believe that as a commission come out with very concrete strategies of engagement of examining the cause problems and ensuring that we adopt measures and strategies in order for past mistakes are not repeated either with the Police or any other group of stakeholders.”.
On corrupt INEC officials
On the perceived corruption of members of INEC, the chairman-designate said he and his team would have zero-tolerance for corruption but promised that he would work out a system of compensation and reward for staff of the commission to insulate them from corrupt practices.
He denied media reports that he was a consultant to INEC, pointing out that, “I have never been a consultant to INEC. I know that there has been a lot of speculations in the newspapers.
”Well, as an academic, once in a while, I get invited to give paper presentations as a resource person and as somebody who has studied elections in Nigeria, I have been invited three times or so by the then INEC boss mostly before the 2007 elections to present papers.
I have made paper presentation as resource person. I am not a consultant to INEC. Most of the consultancy jobs I have done are through the Bayero University Consultancy Services,” he added.
Sacking Amodu was a mistake
In a surprise turn-around, Osaze Odemwingie has said that it was a mistake to fire Shaibu Amodu and replace him with Lars Lagerback.
Odemwingie was one of the players who spoke up against Amodu at the African Nations Cup in Angola, leading to the axing of the former BCC Lions coach.
But after a disastrous World Cup where Nigeria finished bottom of a winnable group with just one point out of nine, the Lokomotiv Moscow forward said that it was a mistake to fire Amodu.
“They should not have fired Amodu. I think that was a mistake,” he said.Odewmingie went on to say that Nigeria did not have a team good enough to challenge the best.
“To be honest, we don’t have the team that can win the World Cup. If you go down to the roots, most of us, including myself, in our clubs we are not doing great.
“We are not like the big team we used to be, having players in the big clubs and coming here with the ambition to win the Cup. But definitely we could have
done much better.” Odemwingie also criticised coach Lars Lagerback’s selection and tactics, but says if the coach can learn from his mistakes, he would do better with the Super Eagles.
“I think the World Cup experience and being with us has given him some advantage over the next candidate.
“People learn from mistakes. If he takes the positives from this one and he feels good with working with Nigerian boys then yes, I think he should stay.”
“Three games three losses. I think a few things he did were big mistakes,” Odemwingie said,
“Like telling two strikers not to participate in defending.
“I think that is a big mistake with Nigerian football when we have one defensive midfielder and one creative in front of him. All our middle was open and that was the problem we had against Greece.
“Today the instruction was that three people did not have to participate in defence. I think that also was a big mistake.”
Odemwingie was reported to have erupted in the dressing room after the Greece loss, and explained that he had good reason to.
“Yeah I said to him that there are some key players in this team that he didn’t give enough playing time. And I was one of them. I said to him we have been here for a few years and we have qualified this team for the World Cup and he was putting us aside and it’s not fair.
“Some of us like myself and Martins are leaders in this team and we have been making the difference for the country and we needed to get more playing time and more chances to play.”
Odemwingie then suggested that his tirade may have been the reason he was left out of against Korea.
“It is possible that that’s why he didn’t play me today.”
Odemwingie was one of the players who spoke up against Amodu at the African Nations Cup in Angola, leading to the axing of the former BCC Lions coach.
But after a disastrous World Cup where Nigeria finished bottom of a winnable group with just one point out of nine, the Lokomotiv Moscow forward said that it was a mistake to fire Amodu.
“They should not have fired Amodu. I think that was a mistake,” he said.Odewmingie went on to say that Nigeria did not have a team good enough to challenge the best.
“To be honest, we don’t have the team that can win the World Cup. If you go down to the roots, most of us, including myself, in our clubs we are not doing great.
“We are not like the big team we used to be, having players in the big clubs and coming here with the ambition to win the Cup. But definitely we could have
done much better.” Odemwingie also criticised coach Lars Lagerback’s selection and tactics, but says if the coach can learn from his mistakes, he would do better with the Super Eagles.
“I think the World Cup experience and being with us has given him some advantage over the next candidate.
“People learn from mistakes. If he takes the positives from this one and he feels good with working with Nigerian boys then yes, I think he should stay.”
“Three games three losses. I think a few things he did were big mistakes,” Odemwingie said,
“Like telling two strikers not to participate in defending.
“I think that is a big mistake with Nigerian football when we have one defensive midfielder and one creative in front of him. All our middle was open and that was the problem we had against Greece.
“Today the instruction was that three people did not have to participate in defence. I think that also was a big mistake.”
Odemwingie was reported to have erupted in the dressing room after the Greece loss, and explained that he had good reason to.
“Yeah I said to him that there are some key players in this team that he didn’t give enough playing time. And I was one of them. I said to him we have been here for a few years and we have qualified this team for the World Cup and he was putting us aside and it’s not fair.
“Some of us like myself and Martins are leaders in this team and we have been making the difference for the country and we needed to get more playing time and more chances to play.”
Odemwingie then suggested that his tirade may have been the reason he was left out of against Korea.
“It is possible that that’s why he didn’t play me today.”
NIGERIA BEGS FIFA
The Minister of sports/Chairman, National Sports Commission, NSC, Alhaji Ibrahim Isa Bio, yesterday, met with FIFA president, Sepp Blatter and Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, to seek the body’s assistance to reform football in Nigeria.
Bio was accompanied by the Nigerian High Commissioner in South Africa, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (rtd), NSC Director-General, Dr. Patrick Ekeji, former Super Eagles captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, as well as FIFA and CAF Executive Committee member from Nigeria, Dr. Amos Adamu to the meeting.
The meeting which was held at the FIFA headquarters Johannesburg was to discuss the way forward for Nigeria football.
Members of the FIFA Executive Committee received the minister and his team warmly and they expressed their sympathy at Nigeria’s early exit from the World Cup as he (Bio) told the FIFA members that he is not happy about the present state of Nigeria football.
Nigeria, he told FIFA, should not be where she is today in global football, positing that countries that are not endowed as Nigeria are up there, using new methods of training and management to achieve great things.
He argued that Nigeria must join the rest of the world and the only way the nation can achieve this is through the restructuring of her football. He also told Blatter that there is need for FIFA to look into the relationship between the government and the Nigeria Football Federation and assist Nigeria in setting up new academies.
FIFA assured Bio of the body’s readiness to assist Nigeria in every way to make her football more competitive and take her place among global giants and asked that all football academies be register with it so that players could be protected from greedy agents and clubs.
The world football governing body admitted that while Nigeria is doing well in age grade football same could not be said of the country’s senior team as it urged Nigeria to adopt new tactics at the senior level.
It also encouraged the government to get a good coach that will work on a longer term, blaming Nigeria and other countries like Cote d’ Ivoire’s poor run at the World Cup on lack of continuity. FIFA posited that it will be impossible for a coach to turn a team around in two months when he is just getting to know most the players.
Bio was accompanied by the Nigerian High Commissioner in South Africa, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (rtd), NSC Director-General, Dr. Patrick Ekeji, former Super Eagles captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, as well as FIFA and CAF Executive Committee member from Nigeria, Dr. Amos Adamu to the meeting.
The meeting which was held at the FIFA headquarters Johannesburg was to discuss the way forward for Nigeria football.
Members of the FIFA Executive Committee received the minister and his team warmly and they expressed their sympathy at Nigeria’s early exit from the World Cup as he (Bio) told the FIFA members that he is not happy about the present state of Nigeria football.
Nigeria, he told FIFA, should not be where she is today in global football, positing that countries that are not endowed as Nigeria are up there, using new methods of training and management to achieve great things.
He argued that Nigeria must join the rest of the world and the only way the nation can achieve this is through the restructuring of her football. He also told Blatter that there is need for FIFA to look into the relationship between the government and the Nigeria Football Federation and assist Nigeria in setting up new academies.
FIFA assured Bio of the body’s readiness to assist Nigeria in every way to make her football more competitive and take her place among global giants and asked that all football academies be register with it so that players could be protected from greedy agents and clubs.
The world football governing body admitted that while Nigeria is doing well in age grade football same could not be said of the country’s senior team as it urged Nigeria to adopt new tactics at the senior level.
It also encouraged the government to get a good coach that will work on a longer term, blaming Nigeria and other countries like Cote d’ Ivoire’s poor run at the World Cup on lack of continuity. FIFA posited that it will be impossible for a coach to turn a team around in two months when he is just getting to know most the players.
We gave our best – Kanu
Super Eagles skipper, Nwankwo Kanu, said the team was unlucky to have crashed out of the ongoing World Cup in South Africa.
Nigeria drew 2-2 with South Korea on Tuesday in Durban in a match they needed to win by any simple margin.
Kanu said the players gave their best to make it to the second round but that they were unlucky.
He said, “We were all out for victory to move on in the competition. You saw our efforts on the field all through. The Koreans were simply luckier.
”Football is not predictable. We missed some good chances that could have given us a two-goal lead in the game.
“People are talking about the second half misses but again that is part of the game. Those who missed chances never planned to do so; they wanted to score for Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate we are out but what can we do? We just have to learn from the mistakes of this competition.”
It was the first match for Kanu in the competition and he gave a good account of himself in the encounter. He was substituted in the 56th minute
Nigeria drew 2-2 with South Korea on Tuesday in Durban in a match they needed to win by any simple margin.
Kanu said the players gave their best to make it to the second round but that they were unlucky.
He said, “We were all out for victory to move on in the competition. You saw our efforts on the field all through. The Koreans were simply luckier.
”Football is not predictable. We missed some good chances that could have given us a two-goal lead in the game.
“People are talking about the second half misses but again that is part of the game. Those who missed chances never planned to do so; they wanted to score for Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate we are out but what can we do? We just have to learn from the mistakes of this competition.”
It was the first match for Kanu in the competition and he gave a good account of himself in the encounter. He was substituted in the 56th minute
the worst miss I‘ve ever seen.”
Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu has criticised Yakubu Aiyegbeni after the Everton forward missed an open goal during their 2-2 draw with South Korea in their last World Cup group game in Durban on Tuesday.
The result helped the Asians progress to the knockout stages of the tournament in south Africa at the expense of the Eagles.
Yakubu spurned a glorious opportunity to level up with the game standing at 2-1, directing his shot wide when he was presented with an open-goal, inside the six-yard box.
“As a striker, I think that‘s the easiest one to score, so if you miss it then I don‘t know what you will do,” Kanu said of Yakubu‘s miss during a post-match press conference.
”If we didn‘t create the chances we would have complained, but in fact we made them but didn‘t take them.
”The fact is that we played South Korea, a very good team who worked very hard, and we didn‘t take our chances.”
Former England international striker Alan Shearer said on the BBC, “I reckon that‘s the worst miss I‘ve ever seen.”
South Korea gave Guus Hiddink honorary citizenship after he led them to the 2002 World Cup semifinals and Yakubu will no doubt also have a special place in Korean hearts after his gaffes in front of goal allowed them to make the last 16 this time around.
It marks the first time South Korea has advanced to the second round of World Cup finals on foreign soil.
They were helped in no small part by some woeful Nigerian finishing, including the miss of the tournament when an unmarked Yakubu somehow managed to sidefoot the ball wide from six metres out and an open goal at his mercy.
It was an astonishing miss, one of the worst of any World Cup, and will undoubtedly be replayed in Yakubu‘s mind and on ”Football‘s Funniest
The result helped the Asians progress to the knockout stages of the tournament in south Africa at the expense of the Eagles.
Yakubu spurned a glorious opportunity to level up with the game standing at 2-1, directing his shot wide when he was presented with an open-goal, inside the six-yard box.
“As a striker, I think that‘s the easiest one to score, so if you miss it then I don‘t know what you will do,” Kanu said of Yakubu‘s miss during a post-match press conference.
”If we didn‘t create the chances we would have complained, but in fact we made them but didn‘t take them.
”The fact is that we played South Korea, a very good team who worked very hard, and we didn‘t take our chances.”
Former England international striker Alan Shearer said on the BBC, “I reckon that‘s the worst miss I‘ve ever seen.”
South Korea gave Guus Hiddink honorary citizenship after he led them to the 2002 World Cup semifinals and Yakubu will no doubt also have a special place in Korean hearts after his gaffes in front of goal allowed them to make the last 16 this time around.
It marks the first time South Korea has advanced to the second round of World Cup finals on foreign soil.
They were helped in no small part by some woeful Nigerian finishing, including the miss of the tournament when an unmarked Yakubu somehow managed to sidefoot the ball wide from six metres out and an open goal at his mercy.
It was an astonishing miss, one of the worst of any World Cup, and will undoubtedly be replayed in Yakubu‘s mind and on ”Football‘s Funniest
I don’t want Eagles job – Kanu
Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu has denied he is interested in a role in the national team.
Kanu, whose effort could not yield Nigeria dividends as the team crashed out of the ongoing World Cup after a 2 - 2 draw with South Korea on Tuesday, had been tipped for a role in the Eagles after retirement.
The Portsmouth forward was quoted by London Evening Standard on Wednesday as saying he would not take any job with the team unless the Nigeria Football Federation was reorganised.
Kanu said, ”The organisation from above has to be right for anyone to want to take the job. I would not take that nonsense.
“Portsmouth has offered me a new contract and I have to think about that. It has been a crazy season with Portsmouth but this is worse because it is my country.”
Meanwhile, coach Lars Lagerback has admitted he does not know what the NFF plans to do with him after failing to take the Eagles beyond the group stage of the World Cup.
“I‘m the one doing the game plan and the one training the team. Maybe with a little more time it could have been a little different,” Lagerback told thelocal.se after the game against South Korea.
“I have felt privileged to be the coach of Nigeria. It‘s been a fantastic journey in many ways. As for the future, I don‘t know, the focus has been on the World Cup.”
Lagerback was hired in March to take over from coach Shaibu Amodu, who was redeployed to the home-based Eagles.
Kanu, whose effort could not yield Nigeria dividends as the team crashed out of the ongoing World Cup after a 2 - 2 draw with South Korea on Tuesday, had been tipped for a role in the Eagles after retirement.
The Portsmouth forward was quoted by London Evening Standard on Wednesday as saying he would not take any job with the team unless the Nigeria Football Federation was reorganised.
Kanu said, ”The organisation from above has to be right for anyone to want to take the job. I would not take that nonsense.
“Portsmouth has offered me a new contract and I have to think about that. It has been a crazy season with Portsmouth but this is worse because it is my country.”
Meanwhile, coach Lars Lagerback has admitted he does not know what the NFF plans to do with him after failing to take the Eagles beyond the group stage of the World Cup.
“I‘m the one doing the game plan and the one training the team. Maybe with a little more time it could have been a little different,” Lagerback told thelocal.se after the game against South Korea.
“I have felt privileged to be the coach of Nigeria. It‘s been a fantastic journey in many ways. As for the future, I don‘t know, the focus has been on the World Cup.”
Lagerback was hired in March to take over from coach Shaibu Amodu, who was redeployed to the home-based Eagles.
African football needs overhauling to compete with other continents’ - Okocha
Nigeria’s former star, Jay-Jay Okocha, says African football needs to "go back to the drawing board" if it is to succeed in future World Cups. The 36-year-old said that African nations were not going "that extra mile to get results".
Okocha blamed a lack of investment in local coaches and youth players, adding that the continent's big stars had not delivered on the world's biggest stage. "It's about character. Our players have not shown enough passion," he said.
"It's an African tournament - we thought we could capitalise on that. That hasn't been the story." South Africa is the first World Cup host that has not progressed past the first round despite beating France on Wednesday.
And, while Ghana also recorded a group win, the four other African nations competing - Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria and Ivory Coast - have struggled.
"I think the players have failed to understand that they need to go that extra mile to be able to get results," added Okocha. "They are not looking for the solution on how to win games. We go back to our drawing boards and invest in youth and start planning.
"In Africa, I don't think we plan enough. We always wait for an event and then get ourselves ready for just that event." Okocha, like all of Africa's biggest sporting names, has spent the majority of his footballing career abroad, playing for European clubs, including Bolton and Hull. He believes that if African football is to move on, coaches as well as players should look to foreign leagues to gain expertise and professionalism.
"I thought that the officials should be given the opportunity to go abroad and update themselves - but we haven't done that. We've not invested in our local coaches," Okocha commented.
"After going to Europe to prove yourself as a player, you come back to that old mentality - that old way of playing.
"Then sometimes players get caught in the middle. They try to bring you down to their level - and if you don't want to come down to that level, it's as if you're losing your culture, losing your respect."
Okocha, who retired from football in 2008, had scathing words for some of Africa's better known players, criticising their performances at the Mundial when compared to what they did for their clubs.
"I don't have to cover up those players because they haven't really performed. They've underachieved," he said.
"It's all about character. I don't think our players have shown enough passion for the game. That's the difference between the way they've played here, and the way they play in their various clubs."
Okocha blamed a lack of investment in local coaches and youth players, adding that the continent's big stars had not delivered on the world's biggest stage. "It's about character. Our players have not shown enough passion," he said.
"It's an African tournament - we thought we could capitalise on that. That hasn't been the story." South Africa is the first World Cup host that has not progressed past the first round despite beating France on Wednesday.
And, while Ghana also recorded a group win, the four other African nations competing - Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria and Ivory Coast - have struggled.
"I think the players have failed to understand that they need to go that extra mile to be able to get results," added Okocha. "They are not looking for the solution on how to win games. We go back to our drawing boards and invest in youth and start planning.
"In Africa, I don't think we plan enough. We always wait for an event and then get ourselves ready for just that event." Okocha, like all of Africa's biggest sporting names, has spent the majority of his footballing career abroad, playing for European clubs, including Bolton and Hull. He believes that if African football is to move on, coaches as well as players should look to foreign leagues to gain expertise and professionalism.
"I thought that the officials should be given the opportunity to go abroad and update themselves - but we haven't done that. We've not invested in our local coaches," Okocha commented.
"After going to Europe to prove yourself as a player, you come back to that old mentality - that old way of playing.
"Then sometimes players get caught in the middle. They try to bring you down to their level - and if you don't want to come down to that level, it's as if you're losing your culture, losing your respect."
Okocha, who retired from football in 2008, had scathing words for some of Africa's better known players, criticising their performances at the Mundial when compared to what they did for their clubs.
"I don't have to cover up those players because they haven't really performed. They've underachieved," he said.
"It's all about character. I don't think our players have shown enough passion for the game. That's the difference between the way they've played here, and the way they play in their various clubs."
Government to register unemployed Nigerians
The federal government has concluded plans to develop a database of all unemployed persons in Nigeria, the minister of labour and productivity, Chukwuemeka Wogu, has said.
The minister said registering the unemployed in the country is necessary because nobody knows the number of Nigerians that are unemployed, and planning activity has been based on extrapolation. He said when this is completed, employers will have easy access to labour while the platform will be very useful for all activities in economic planning.
“Unemployment has been a major problem in the country and has impeded on economic growth of the nation,” he said. “It is a global problem now since both emerging and established economies are battling with problems of unemployment which has been worsened by the fact of global recession which has been there for some time now. Inasmuch as we agree that there is a high incidence of unemployment; nobody has been able to have an approximate knowledge of the figure not to talk about exactitude though you cannot have the exact figure. We do not have that. It is only recently that the minister of finance said it is 19 per cent based on National Bureau of Statistics information. So because of this inaccurate data, we now went into registration of unemployed people and to have a data base on it.”
Mr. Wogu explained that an implementation committee, which comprises members from government ministries, private sector and technical experts on ICT, was set up to articulate this project and had submitted a report which indicates that the first stage of the project will involve the designing of an architectural platform that would be the basis for the data base.
“The essence of the data base is to capture at least 90 per cent of the unemployed people through various means of data capturing using facilities that are already in existence, which are state offices of the labour ministry and National Directorate of Employment,” he said.
Abuja pilot project
When the architectural platform is established, the next step will be the development and deployment of publicity modules, followed by the recruitment and training of frontline operators and monitoring officers who do the registration and also help determine the situation of the unemployed persons.
“The last issues are output and analysis of the data and issuing of reports. Tied to this is an outline of major deliverables we intend to achieve. After this is the major activity which now has a timeline,” he said.
The minister equally said that a pilot of this project will start off soon in FCT, after which other states will be covered. To avoid double registration, the ministry said it plans to introduce some biometrics in the process, even as it indicated its determination to collaborate with the National Planning Commission and the National Bureau of Statistics in this project.
The minister said registering the unemployed in the country is necessary because nobody knows the number of Nigerians that are unemployed, and planning activity has been based on extrapolation. He said when this is completed, employers will have easy access to labour while the platform will be very useful for all activities in economic planning.
“Unemployment has been a major problem in the country and has impeded on economic growth of the nation,” he said. “It is a global problem now since both emerging and established economies are battling with problems of unemployment which has been worsened by the fact of global recession which has been there for some time now. Inasmuch as we agree that there is a high incidence of unemployment; nobody has been able to have an approximate knowledge of the figure not to talk about exactitude though you cannot have the exact figure. We do not have that. It is only recently that the minister of finance said it is 19 per cent based on National Bureau of Statistics information. So because of this inaccurate data, we now went into registration of unemployed people and to have a data base on it.”
Mr. Wogu explained that an implementation committee, which comprises members from government ministries, private sector and technical experts on ICT, was set up to articulate this project and had submitted a report which indicates that the first stage of the project will involve the designing of an architectural platform that would be the basis for the data base.
“The essence of the data base is to capture at least 90 per cent of the unemployed people through various means of data capturing using facilities that are already in existence, which are state offices of the labour ministry and National Directorate of Employment,” he said.
Abuja pilot project
When the architectural platform is established, the next step will be the development and deployment of publicity modules, followed by the recruitment and training of frontline operators and monitoring officers who do the registration and also help determine the situation of the unemployed persons.
“The last issues are output and analysis of the data and issuing of reports. Tied to this is an outline of major deliverables we intend to achieve. After this is the major activity which now has a timeline,” he said.
The minister equally said that a pilot of this project will start off soon in FCT, after which other states will be covered. To avoid double registration, the ministry said it plans to introduce some biometrics in the process, even as it indicated its determination to collaborate with the National Planning Commission and the National Bureau of Statistics in this project.
An Open Letter to Akwa Ibom State Secretary to the Government, Chief Umana Okon Umana
Dear Mr. Secretary:
Today, a child in Akwa Ibom State, who may be as young as five (5) years, may not know the detail and all the intricacies of government-sponsore d assassination, which seems now to be a common prevalence in the State. Honestly, sir, the child knows one thing about assassinations; it is a criminal activity, which is always perpetuated by government agents. If a child of that age in Akwa Ibom State can be so apprehensive of such a diabolical act committed by those who profess to kill and maim for and in the name of government, just imagine what perceptions that child’s parents, friends of his parents, the neighbors that live around his parent’s house, and all the people of Akwa Ibom State harbor for such a government, which runs an administration of which you are a high ranking officials.
It may be soothing to your ego (and probably your fears) for you to imagine that there is a single person in Akwa Ibom State who truly believes that the killing of Chief Paul Inyang is not an act of your government. It is on record that Chief Paul Inyang attended a meeting of the PDP Caucus a day before he was gunned down, right in front of the door-entrance to his church. At the Caucus meeting was Obong Victor Attah, a man whom Governor Akpabio hates with a passion, because Akpabio has been known to tell anyone who cares to listen that Obong Attah is responsible for all his political woes. And the late Paul Inyang has been known to be a very strong supporter of Obong Attah’s position; to dismantle the present status of PDP structure in Akwa Ibom in order to guarantee a fair, free, and balanced up-coming election in the State.
In tune with the views of Obong Attah, as well as the views of many progressive people in Akwa Ibom State, Chief Paul Inyang was known to have confided in people that the present structure of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State, where the brother of the governor is the Secretary and also where the governor’s yes-man is the Chairman, will certainly not augur well with President Jonathan’s determination to see Nigeria enjoy the fruit of fairness and equity in electing their leaders. This strongly held progressive principle was the reason Chief Paul Inyang did not hesitate to attend the Akwa Ibom State Caucus when invited by Obong Victor Attah, who was at Uyo at the time.
Your government has been known to be an organization of little or no tolerance to opposition and criticisms. Learning that Chief Paul Inyang attended a meeting in which Obong Victor Attah was present was, in the minds of you people, the last “betrayal” your Governor could stomach. How could a man who purports to support the Governor be seen among a group of people considered as “enemies of the State.” To you and your Governor, anyone caught doing such a thing has committed a crime punishable by death. And that is why Chief Paul Inyang was assassinated in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was in a church listening to a sermon delivered by his Pastor when one of your agents went inside the church, whispered to his ears that he needed to come outside (of the church) to receive a message sent by the Governor. The farthest they could allow him before he was gunned down was just to go through the doorway. He slumped and died, instantly, in front of the House of God and before all the worshippers.
This particular incident is not the first instance in which a high-profiled indigene of Akwa State was assaulted while attending a church service. It happened to General Edet Akpan. Your explanation and insinuations that your government has no hand in the death of Chief Paul Inyang is annoying to the people and they consider the content of your “Press Release” as insult to their intelligence. They believe that the reasons for your promptness to issue a disclaimer is not because you care so much for the assassinated Chief. People think, and rightly so, that you are afraid because you think a repeat of reactions that took place when General Edet Akpan was kidnapped are going to repeat themselves.
First, as soon as Chief Inyang was murdered your Commissioner for information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, was very quick to blame the crime on opposition. As if on a second thought, he announced that someone has been apprehended. Then your turn came. Sir, let me tell you what Akwa people really think of your behavior regarding this matter. They see you and Aniekan Umanah as the embodiments of the inherent fears, which are tormenting Governor Godswill Akpabio. Akpabio is scared stiff that he is losing the election to Akpan Udoedehe, a man who is actually a nightmare to Akpabio.
When General Edet Akpan was kidnapped, the public was told that a suspect had been napped and arrested. That was the end of the story. Till this day, no one hears about the arraignment of anyone who was involved in the crime. In less than 24 hours after Chief Paul Inyang was assassinated yesterday, as mentioned earlier in this letter, your Commissioner for Information quickly announced that a suspect had been napped and is in custody, a fact, which you have also confirmed. Mr. Secretary, no one believes you. No one believes your Governor. The people don’t trust you and they don’t trust your Governor. Everyone believes that you are hiding the truths from the public. Personally, I think the perceptions and views of the masses are correct; you are not forthcoming in your explanations to the people.
Mr. Secretary, let me be candid with you; the people want honesty. They want you to tell Governor Akpabio that he does not have to kill in order to remain in power as a Governor. Such a posture is not only barbaric, it is counter-productive and it becomes worse when it is accompanied with lies, such as you are spreading on behalf of the Government regarding this particular situation. I am surprised that it has not yet dawned on you and Governor Akpabio that the more he kills; the more it turns the people’s minds in favor of the opposition. Trying to put the blame of the crime on the so-called opposition is equivalent to trying to stop the spread of fire with petrol. If you think the people are going to appreciate a government known for kidnapping and killing unsuspecting people, especially in places of worship, then you must be living in the Utopia.
You and Governor Akpabio know very well that the opposition cannot match your government when it comes to committing havoc in Akwa Ibom State. The opposition has no ADUMA, but the government does. The opposition has no arsenals of weapons, but the government does. The opponent has no Police Force, but the government does. The opponent has no money, not even close to what your governor makes in one day, but your governor and your government do. In terms of the number of thugs in the street, the government surpasses opposition. What all these means is that there is no way opposition would be able to get away from the type of crimes that currently prevail in the State. That is why every time someone is kidnapped, especially high-profiled kidnappings and assassinations; the people consider it ludicrous when the Government issues public statement blaming opposition.
Nearly all the high-profiled cases of crimes committed in the State seem to have one common characteristic; vehicles with Government-Owned License Plates are always reported by eyewitnesses as the vehicle of operation. Yet, no investigation has ever been done by your Government. As a result, no one has ever been tried, let alone a conviction, in the court of law for using a Government-owned vehicle to commit a crime. This is part of the reasons the people don’t believe you every time you try to blame opposition for crimes that everyone knows are committed by agent of the government.
Another reason people don’t believe you is because they know you are well aware of those agents that commit crimes for Akpabio. Have you ever heard of a man popularly known as “Iraq?” Does the name sound familiar? You may not be comfortable with the name. But this is what the people know of him. He is a killer. He is the leader of the gang that kills for Akpabio. Sometimes ago, the police arrested and charged him with the crimes of kidnapping. But after your government spent N1.5 million to authorities, Iraq was released and his weapons were released to him too. And Iraq is still kidnapping and killing people while you, as the Secretary to the Government, Governor Akpabio, and other key members of your administration prefer to look the other way.
Soon after the Anti-Kidnapping Bill was passed by the Ste House of Assembly, which mandated a death penalty for anyone who perpetrates the crime of kidnapping, a gentleman by the name of Nathaniel Uyo was caught by the police for kidnapping. But he was released later, after Governor Akpabio himself made a personal request to the corrupt Commissioner of Police. You know, and the people know, that Nathaniel Uyo is a cousin of Governor Akpabio. And the criminal is still roaming the street of Uyo, kidnapping and killing people at will. Meanwhile, Governor Akpabio has refused to sign the Anti-kidnapping Bill into law because he knows that it is his own people that will be convicted with the law.
Then there is another diabolical fellow by the name of Prince Ikim. He was associated with and arrested by federal agents for his role in the kidnapping of General Akpan. The people know that Governor Akpabio spent millions of naira to have him released. Today, he is in Uyo and probably is still engaged in kidnapping and political assassinations. Sir, if I know all these from thousands of miles, rest assured that there is nothing that the people in Akwa Ibom State don’t know. And don’t forget, silence is no cowardice. Now you know why erroneously blaming opposition for crimes in Akwa Ibom State does not make sense.
The people demand truths. But since truths are not forthcoming, therefore, they have decided to take matters into their own hands; have patience, lay low, wait for the right day they can vote Akpabio out office. Yes, it will happen because that is the only alternative way to bringing back sanity to Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria.
Thompson Essien
Portland, Oregon.
Today, a child in Akwa Ibom State, who may be as young as five (5) years, may not know the detail and all the intricacies of government-sponsore d assassination, which seems now to be a common prevalence in the State. Honestly, sir, the child knows one thing about assassinations; it is a criminal activity, which is always perpetuated by government agents. If a child of that age in Akwa Ibom State can be so apprehensive of such a diabolical act committed by those who profess to kill and maim for and in the name of government, just imagine what perceptions that child’s parents, friends of his parents, the neighbors that live around his parent’s house, and all the people of Akwa Ibom State harbor for such a government, which runs an administration of which you are a high ranking officials.
It may be soothing to your ego (and probably your fears) for you to imagine that there is a single person in Akwa Ibom State who truly believes that the killing of Chief Paul Inyang is not an act of your government. It is on record that Chief Paul Inyang attended a meeting of the PDP Caucus a day before he was gunned down, right in front of the door-entrance to his church. At the Caucus meeting was Obong Victor Attah, a man whom Governor Akpabio hates with a passion, because Akpabio has been known to tell anyone who cares to listen that Obong Attah is responsible for all his political woes. And the late Paul Inyang has been known to be a very strong supporter of Obong Attah’s position; to dismantle the present status of PDP structure in Akwa Ibom in order to guarantee a fair, free, and balanced up-coming election in the State.
In tune with the views of Obong Attah, as well as the views of many progressive people in Akwa Ibom State, Chief Paul Inyang was known to have confided in people that the present structure of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State, where the brother of the governor is the Secretary and also where the governor’s yes-man is the Chairman, will certainly not augur well with President Jonathan’s determination to see Nigeria enjoy the fruit of fairness and equity in electing their leaders. This strongly held progressive principle was the reason Chief Paul Inyang did not hesitate to attend the Akwa Ibom State Caucus when invited by Obong Victor Attah, who was at Uyo at the time.
Your government has been known to be an organization of little or no tolerance to opposition and criticisms. Learning that Chief Paul Inyang attended a meeting in which Obong Victor Attah was present was, in the minds of you people, the last “betrayal” your Governor could stomach. How could a man who purports to support the Governor be seen among a group of people considered as “enemies of the State.” To you and your Governor, anyone caught doing such a thing has committed a crime punishable by death. And that is why Chief Paul Inyang was assassinated in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was in a church listening to a sermon delivered by his Pastor when one of your agents went inside the church, whispered to his ears that he needed to come outside (of the church) to receive a message sent by the Governor. The farthest they could allow him before he was gunned down was just to go through the doorway. He slumped and died, instantly, in front of the House of God and before all the worshippers.
This particular incident is not the first instance in which a high-profiled indigene of Akwa State was assaulted while attending a church service. It happened to General Edet Akpan. Your explanation and insinuations that your government has no hand in the death of Chief Paul Inyang is annoying to the people and they consider the content of your “Press Release” as insult to their intelligence. They believe that the reasons for your promptness to issue a disclaimer is not because you care so much for the assassinated Chief. People think, and rightly so, that you are afraid because you think a repeat of reactions that took place when General Edet Akpan was kidnapped are going to repeat themselves.
First, as soon as Chief Inyang was murdered your Commissioner for information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, was very quick to blame the crime on opposition. As if on a second thought, he announced that someone has been apprehended. Then your turn came. Sir, let me tell you what Akwa people really think of your behavior regarding this matter. They see you and Aniekan Umanah as the embodiments of the inherent fears, which are tormenting Governor Godswill Akpabio. Akpabio is scared stiff that he is losing the election to Akpan Udoedehe, a man who is actually a nightmare to Akpabio.
When General Edet Akpan was kidnapped, the public was told that a suspect had been napped and arrested. That was the end of the story. Till this day, no one hears about the arraignment of anyone who was involved in the crime. In less than 24 hours after Chief Paul Inyang was assassinated yesterday, as mentioned earlier in this letter, your Commissioner for Information quickly announced that a suspect had been napped and is in custody, a fact, which you have also confirmed. Mr. Secretary, no one believes you. No one believes your Governor. The people don’t trust you and they don’t trust your Governor. Everyone believes that you are hiding the truths from the public. Personally, I think the perceptions and views of the masses are correct; you are not forthcoming in your explanations to the people.
Mr. Secretary, let me be candid with you; the people want honesty. They want you to tell Governor Akpabio that he does not have to kill in order to remain in power as a Governor. Such a posture is not only barbaric, it is counter-productive and it becomes worse when it is accompanied with lies, such as you are spreading on behalf of the Government regarding this particular situation. I am surprised that it has not yet dawned on you and Governor Akpabio that the more he kills; the more it turns the people’s minds in favor of the opposition. Trying to put the blame of the crime on the so-called opposition is equivalent to trying to stop the spread of fire with petrol. If you think the people are going to appreciate a government known for kidnapping and killing unsuspecting people, especially in places of worship, then you must be living in the Utopia.
You and Governor Akpabio know very well that the opposition cannot match your government when it comes to committing havoc in Akwa Ibom State. The opposition has no ADUMA, but the government does. The opposition has no arsenals of weapons, but the government does. The opponent has no Police Force, but the government does. The opponent has no money, not even close to what your governor makes in one day, but your governor and your government do. In terms of the number of thugs in the street, the government surpasses opposition. What all these means is that there is no way opposition would be able to get away from the type of crimes that currently prevail in the State. That is why every time someone is kidnapped, especially high-profiled kidnappings and assassinations; the people consider it ludicrous when the Government issues public statement blaming opposition.
Nearly all the high-profiled cases of crimes committed in the State seem to have one common characteristic; vehicles with Government-Owned License Plates are always reported by eyewitnesses as the vehicle of operation. Yet, no investigation has ever been done by your Government. As a result, no one has ever been tried, let alone a conviction, in the court of law for using a Government-owned vehicle to commit a crime. This is part of the reasons the people don’t believe you every time you try to blame opposition for crimes that everyone knows are committed by agent of the government.
Another reason people don’t believe you is because they know you are well aware of those agents that commit crimes for Akpabio. Have you ever heard of a man popularly known as “Iraq?” Does the name sound familiar? You may not be comfortable with the name. But this is what the people know of him. He is a killer. He is the leader of the gang that kills for Akpabio. Sometimes ago, the police arrested and charged him with the crimes of kidnapping. But after your government spent N1.5 million to authorities, Iraq was released and his weapons were released to him too. And Iraq is still kidnapping and killing people while you, as the Secretary to the Government, Governor Akpabio, and other key members of your administration prefer to look the other way.
Soon after the Anti-Kidnapping Bill was passed by the Ste House of Assembly, which mandated a death penalty for anyone who perpetrates the crime of kidnapping, a gentleman by the name of Nathaniel Uyo was caught by the police for kidnapping. But he was released later, after Governor Akpabio himself made a personal request to the corrupt Commissioner of Police. You know, and the people know, that Nathaniel Uyo is a cousin of Governor Akpabio. And the criminal is still roaming the street of Uyo, kidnapping and killing people at will. Meanwhile, Governor Akpabio has refused to sign the Anti-kidnapping Bill into law because he knows that it is his own people that will be convicted with the law.
Then there is another diabolical fellow by the name of Prince Ikim. He was associated with and arrested by federal agents for his role in the kidnapping of General Akpan. The people know that Governor Akpabio spent millions of naira to have him released. Today, he is in Uyo and probably is still engaged in kidnapping and political assassinations. Sir, if I know all these from thousands of miles, rest assured that there is nothing that the people in Akwa Ibom State don’t know. And don’t forget, silence is no cowardice. Now you know why erroneously blaming opposition for crimes in Akwa Ibom State does not make sense.
The people demand truths. But since truths are not forthcoming, therefore, they have decided to take matters into their own hands; have patience, lay low, wait for the right day they can vote Akpabio out office. Yes, it will happen because that is the only alternative way to bringing back sanity to Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria.
Thompson Essien
Portland, Oregon.
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