When Mark left state affairs for football

In these days of picture manipulation and photoshop one can never say with all sincerity that “a picture never lies”. The photograph of defender John Boye of Ghana supposedly kissing his wad of dollar bills went viral on the internet.

He might not have been kissing it. He could so easily have been sniffing it. I am more inclined to think this scenario because I find quite intriguing the smell of brand new notes and instinctively sniff them. That is me and I will not be surprised if other human beings feel so too.

The issue of allowances at this World Cup seem to be centred only on African teams – Cameroon players refusing to board their plane bringing them to Brazil without the money or agreements reached, Ghana players insisting on their money before their final group match with Portugal and Nigerian players supposedly boycotting training after qualifying for the second round also over appearance fees.

I will never ever be against the footballers in any bonus row for their national teams especially African players. I will come back to the Ghana later.

Information reaching me says that the Nigerian team was promised 30% of the FIFA grant as appearance fees for the first round matches. Folks please note that this is different from the match bonuses due to the players for representing Nigeria. Then for qualification to the second round they were promised 40% of the same FIFA grant.

Apparently the problem started when wires were crossed over when the money was to be made available to the players. The FF insist that they agreed with the players that the money will be available as soon as or whenever the money comes in from FIFA. The players are not having that. They are asking that the Federation get the money to them now. They clearly have little or no trust in the money getting to them after the tournament finishes or the team gets knocked out – whichever comes first.

Records have shown that this current NFF board have a much better record of handing over promised money than previous boards. That record is what the Board have tried to use to convince the players that they should be patient and understanding in their demands. The senior players who have been through those bad times and who do not think they have much longer international careers were not swayed, standing their ground on immediate payment.

A meeting was held at the team’s hotel in Campinas. Senate president and Nigeria’s number 3 citizen David Mark was in attendance. This meeting led to the Presidency intervening and agreeing to send the money to the team. Sources at the meeting informed me that it ended badly for the officials and many of them are very bitter.

One senior player was said to have addressed them quite rudely and at least four of them have been blacklisted that should a new coach take over from Stephen Keshi, he will be instructed never to pick them again for the national team. Yes, that bad.

The US are at the World Cup here in Brazil but there is no record of their Senate President being in Brazil to watch the team as part of some government delegation. These delegations, these bloated parties travelling with the Football Federations and the Sports ministries, are what actually annoys these footballers. The players are aware how much these gulp and how many bring their own hangers-on and spend from the same money they are being told is not available.

When the Senate President ignores all the issues in Nigeria and travels to Brazil to watch football in that capacity, he has run the risk straight away of being disrespected by disgruntled young men who earn their living abroad and who know what public office holders do or how they behave. I am not in any way defending the rude super eagle who stood up to address the meeting the Senate President was in but that situation would never have arisen if he was back in his Senate Chambers in Abuja.

There is a body charged with running the sport for Nigeria and Nigerians so they should have been left to do so.

African footballers do not trust their football administrators. The Administrators on their own part have not helped matters since they know this lack of trust but do very little to change it. All the players from other countries got appearance fees and other monies from the collective pot from endorsements and commercial activities. These are agreed before the tournament starts. Also agreed is the how and when the monies will be paid; the players have no fear of these agreements not being honoured as it seems is the case with African players.

Four years from now it will surprise no one if this history repeats itself.