Stop Meddling In The Affairs of Supporters Club, Ladipo Tells NFF
..Calls For President's Intervention
President General of Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to stop meddling in the affairs of the club even as he accused the mediate past President of the football house , Amaju Pinnick of encouraging factionalization of the club.
In a world press conference he called to dissect the problems of Nigerian football, he regretted that the club which has been part of the success stories of all the country’s national teams is now being sidelined by the football house, noting that the club should be allowed to use it’s internal mechanism to solve their problems or disagreement.
” It’s quite unfortunate that our club which is 70 years old now and has been part of the success stories of the various national teams is now being relegated to the background by those running our football.
” This is a club that members spent their hard earned money, time and energy travelling all over the world supporting the national teams without anybody paying them a dime.
” It’s equally on record that during the 1990 USA World Cup, the World football governing body ( FIFA ) gave us an award as the best Supporters Club in the world and even at Atlanta Olympics Games we where there when Nigeria became the first African country to win Olympic gold in football and many other tournaments.”, he recalled.
” I also want to tell you that the NFF does not give us any money rather we look for sponsors to finance our trips. So, it’s absurd that the NFF which does not give us any money is meddling in our affairs and even the Interim management Committee they appointed to unify the various factions was not done transparently.
Ladipo then appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to wade into the matter and caution the football house from interfering in the affairs of the Supporters Club.
” My appeal is that the President who apart from being the father of the nation is also a sports lover should wade into the matter and call the NFF to order because we as a club as the 12th unseen men on the pitch, have important role to play in Nigerian football.
” There have been instances when we embark on fasting and prayers for the team and we know the type of songs to render at any given time when the going becomes tough to ginger the team to perform better and as such we should not be relegated to the background “, he concluded.
