By Mike Oboh
As the Nigeria Premier league commences on November 18,2020 with its attendant consequence of the COVID 19 limitations, the clubs are in for a big shock following the absence of sponsorships.
Majority of them who at times rely on gate takings to meet some of their financial needs, have to work out ways to close the gap, no thanks to the COVID 19 pandemic there would be no fans in the stands.
However this would not have been the case if the clubs had open room for sponsorship drive all this while.
Efforts in the past to involve community participation in the club affairs through various initiatives by Hon. Nduka Irabor, the pioneer chairman of the League Management Company (LMC) and the incumbent leadership of the LMC under Alhaji Shehu Dikko, who incidentally is the second vice president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) were mistaken by the owners of the clubs, the State government as a loss of influence as owners of the clubs.
The 20 club sides as presently constituted have no fewer that 98 percent of them being owed by various state governments, the source of the worries now is that with the economic downturn in the country how many of the States can adequately meet the demands of the clubs.
If the government in the states are not primarily keen in the activities of the clubs, their fortunes may nosedive into a state of financial crisis which may have a telling effect on their performance and in turn affect the quality of the league.
One can vividly remember the push by Hon. Nduka Irabor to give birth to a new direction in the economic empowerments of the clubs with the various positive moves but were not considered by the owners of the clubs.
Aside former Nigeria League Champions, Kano Pillars football club under the chairmanship of Alhaji Abba Yola who got a mouthwatering contract with Glo Telecommunication, but could not manifest when he was unceremoniously removed from office by the State government, many clubs have failed to pursue alternative source of funding.
It has been business as usual for Nigeria clubs who have failed to understand that changes in the world economic demands thinking outside the box to generate alternative source of revenue.
Football which is primarily a business as seen in other climes, is in Nigeria a social outfit for those involved, the fortunes of the clubs are not for the benefit of the players. Transfers both locally and at international levels are always done in many unclear situations that one wonders if those saddled with management of the clubs really knows the benefits of such deal.
As said earlier, reasons for setting up of clubs in Nigeria differ. While majority of the clubs are formed to create jobs for the youth, some are out of passion or love for the game.
But worse off is the fact that in the clubs run by the various governments, the funds released to manage them are mismanaged and unaccounted for, and at the end of the day, the clubs are not able to fulfill their potentials, as against what obtains in other parts of the western world.
Most Nigerian clubs owned by state governments do not care about profit because they know that whatever happens the government would pay the bills. But that is not always the case as oftentimes, the governments find it difficult to fulfill their obligations to the club, hence they are unable to pay players and officials as at when due.
The free-money system has also made the football market uncompetitive as the privately owned clubs find it difficult to operate in such climates. It has been an unfair competition for the privately owned clubs. The situation, according to stakeholders, has made it difficult for the private sector to play major roles in the club football system.
Until this system change, Nigeria clubs will still be hanging on the clip of the state governments. It will be of good standing if he LMC will insist on its drive to take the league to the next level by insisting on the right structure for the league with adequate support from the NFF.
While talking about the drive by the LMC to take the league to its proper position, it is also fundamental that the league organisers still consider a well define platform for the league to be on television.
It will be recalled that during the days of Super Sports sponsorship of the league in Nigeria, many players were scouted through the television screening of their matches by foreign clubs to the advantage of the players and the clubs though at times the proceed end up in questionable hands.
It will serve the league, to have a major sponsor or multiple sponsors for ease of administering it and for the benefits of the various clubs.
The state governments should as a matter of urgency open doors for viable option to get private investors into the affairs of their clubs, which will create room for accountability and financial independence of the clubs.
It is also noteworthy that the stadia should have a good turn around in terms of television facilities for marketing of the round leather game in the country.
It is also commendable to note that the NFF has done well in the appointment of match officials through disciplinary measures to check some actions of erring ones, which has gone a long way to putting the league in good light and it is hoped this measure continues so as to steer up the game in the country.
The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare has shown with his drive that he wants the best for the league in the country, so it will be better if he can use his position to reach out to State governments on the need to key into the LMC development plans for the clubs to be financial independent.
