EYO FESTIVAL,MUMINI ALAO, NFF'S VERY SAD DECISION

Eyo Festival is the symbol of Lagos' rich history and culture.See story below.

(photo from nigerianwiki)

MUMINI ALAO'S SOCCER TALK

Mumini Alao: Ace sportswriter

Although many people have chosen to make sarcastic remarks about the Nigerian government's brand pay-off line "good people,great nation", the truth is, Nigeria is actually blessed with so many 'good people'.My definition of good people here being a people with abundant talents that, through sheer hardwork,creativity and honesty, have been harnessed to achieve world class performance in various vocations. How else will you describe people like Cardinal Arinze,Enoch Adeboye,Chinamanda ,Wole Soyinka, Wole Oguntokun, Emegwali,Austin Okocha,Chinua Achebe,Dele Olojede,and so on and so on, if not as good people ?

Well, one good person that fully deserves all the accolades that have come his way is the highly influential sports journalist Mumini Alao.Today will see Mumini mark his second full decade as a sportswriter, and from the tone of the accolades one would think the guy is some old veteran in the throes of retirement. But the guy is probably only in his early 40s: In 20 years this young man has steadily progressed in his chosen profession to become, probably, the most influential sportswriter in Nigeria.

I have the good fortune to have followed Mumini's career right from the very beginning. As at the time he joined Complete Communications I was already a huge fan of his publisher Sunny Ojeagbase and his Sports Souvenir newspaper (now Complete Sports). In fact Ojeagbase was one of my early influences in sportswriting.The others were Chris Okojie of Vanguard,late Owoblow of Punch and Mitchel Obi of Guardian. So Mumini had the singular good fortune of starting his career under the best tutelage possible.The difference between him and the many others who passed through Ojeagbase is that,first of all he wrote in very similar style and conviction as the boss, and more importantly he had the patience to stay put with one employer and develop his career - something that's indeed very rare these days.

In the 1990s I had the priviledge of publishing several of my articles in their newspaper (in fact they published everything I sent to them), and incidentally till date I've never enterred their offices or even met Mumini. So maybe this article can also be regarded as official thank-you to Mumini for the priviledge they gave me to 'shine' !

From a distance it's easy to see that the arrival and efficiency of Mumini Alao provided the much needed room for his publisher,Sunny Ojeagbase to concentrate on the business side of his enterprise.The result is that,from the 80s when the newspaper seemed like a bad risk and guaranteed failure, Complete Sports is today about the most widely read newspaper in Nigeria, with readersship cutting across various segments - from mechanics to medical doctors to captains of industry.

But what is it that has stood Mumini Alao out from the rest of the pack ? Simple answer; he writes in a dispassionate and balanced manner, and always takes the trouble to research his facts before commiting his pen. Hardly would Mumini criticise someone without also mentioning some positives things about the person. The only time I felt dissappointed with him was in 2002 when I felt he and other influential journalists at the time did not do enough to dissuade the sports authorities from committing an obvious and needless suicide when they disbanded the National Team,Super Eagles, barely five months to the World Cup finals. The subsequent woeful performance of the team in Korea/Japan apart, Nigeria is,seven years later, still trying to recover from that premature termination of a whole generation of world class and patriotic footballers.I only hope we never repeat such madness again.

That however does not diminish the great respect I have for Mumini, whose Soccer Talk column has become the major reference point for enthusiasts and regulators alike in the industry. For instance it is in Soccer Talk that the name 'dutchgerian' was given to Clemens Westerhoff; 'Goalsfather' to Rashidi Yekini, and several other now household sobriquets.The book containing a compilation of past Soccer Talks will also be launced today, and I intend to buy several copies of it, to be given as precious gifts to friends and associates.

Keep the flag flying, Mr. Soccer Talk !

NFF'S VERY SAD DECISION

Nigeria's Under-17 team, the Golden Eaglets : NFF should give us their educational records.

(photo from FIFA.com)

I've just written about the senseless disbanding of the National Team in 2002; but yet another such inconceivable decision has just been taken by the Football Federation ,with their sacking of the Golden Eaglets' coach, Henry Nwosu during the week. And Nwosu's offence ? 'The team has not been playing well'.

With just a few months to the Under 17 World Cup, the clear message the NFF is sending out is that the 'win at all cost' mentality for cadet compeitions is still very much the in-thing. What do we expect the new coach to do now, if not to load the team with super-old men masquerading as teenagers. The opportunity for Nigerian schoolboys to savour a festival on their own soil with their peers on parade will now elude them, and another bunch of old cargos who cannot withstand competition with their true agemates will most probably be assembled, ride majestically through the competition, and win the cup. And we continue to deceive ourselves.

Thereafter, just like what we have seen with the last 'world champion' Eaglets, the celebrations would only last for the moment, as plotting a natural transition to a higher level will prove a herculean task.

Let's be clear on this: Building a team of genuine Under 17 footballers would make the task of winning the U-17 World Cup very difficult (though certainly not impossible).The reason being that most other teams from the so called 'third world' countries probably cheat at this level. However,if we are serious about the developmental process of our football, we have to take the crucial decision of jettisoning the win-at- all- cost mentality at the Under-17 level.

Whatever be the case, I will only challenge the NFF to ensure that they publish the educational records ( primary and secondary schools and dates) of all the players that will eventually be selected to represent Nigeria at the U-17 World Cup.That way any inquisitive citizen can check to confirm that the country is not living a lie once again; not now that the competition is holding right here on our own soil. Let our kids have their due, whether we win or not !

EYO FESTIVAL

As a 'Lagos boy' I feel immensely proud of the Adamu-Orisa festival, popularly known as Eyo. This is the cultural pride of the people of lagos, dating back well over a decade: From an origin traced to Badagry, and eventually settling as an important annual ceremony in Isale Eko ( lagos Island). My excitement this time around is that the government has stepped in to make the festival the gigantic tourist spectacle that it should be.

In years gone by, the Eyo masquerade has danced in honour of several illustrous indigenes of Lagos (originally as an important part of the rites of passage): From Oba Akitoye,Eletu- Odibo,Aromire Aiyedun and many others. Sometime before independence, we were told, the festival was even held in honour of Queen Victoria of England.Many musicians have also waxed hit records in praise of the festival. King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall and Ebenezer Obey's have to be the most famous of the lot.

Apart from fitting in very well with the Mega City vision of the 'new' Lagos,I'm happy that unlike in our youthful days when we held the masquerade in fear and mystery, our children and visitors to Eko (aka las gidi to the young at heart) will henceforth join in the celebrations with absolute free mind, savouring the frills and awesome spectacle. I dream of the day that the Eyo festival will attract the same worldwide reputation as the Rio festival in Brazil - and if that will also mean more euros and dollars for the people, so be it !