BY HENRY OKODUWA
LEAGUE organisers in Nigeria have always yearned for the day tickets would be sold out and stadiums jampacked as fans jostle to see quality renditions from their favourite players and teams in the league, as is usually the practise in the top leagues of the world. Several years of re – inventing and marketing of the league to make it appealing for sustained patronage and followership have yet to yield the expected dividends as increasingly sophisticated fans look to the more organisationally savvy foreign league for succour. Factors ranging from poor playing surfaces, poor welfare, lack of sponsorhip, obsolete coaching inputs, biased officiating, inadequate security, amongst others have often been advanced as reasons for the dismal, unattractive state of the local game. But one man, Gideon Akinsola, a foremost security expert and a retired Police Commissioner, says the country’s huge football followership can be translated to full capacity stadium, and in turn, a huge money – spinning industry if security is made the essential pivot of present re – engineering efforts geared at taking the league to the level it ought to be.
“The Nigerian league at all levels, be it professional or amateur, can maximize its full potentials if the issue of security is given more than just a cursory look,” Akinsola started in this interview with SundaySunsports.
“Much as other factors like poor playing pitches, welfare, lack of sponsorship. Etcetra are germane to a well managed league, I think the issue of security is of paramount importance if our desire of building a league that would be the cynosure of all eyes in Africa and beyond is to be realised.
“I was in the Police Force for more than three decades and my experience in spearheading security arrangements during high profile matches involving the country’s national teams gives me reason to believe that the safety of lives and property in a match venue directly has a bearing on the overall rating of such a game. The wrong signals usually get sent each time there are reports of unruly behavior and crowd trouble during a game, no matter how favourable the outcome, especially to a host team.
“We usually hear of hefty fines, and banishment, in extreme cases, of teams due to proven cases of hooliganism. The issue of security is not perculiar to Nigeria alone. But to ensure a league that runs without any fear of danger, the League Management Company (LMC) will have to do more to rid our grounds of undesirable elements.
“My kudos go to present LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko for the much talked about improvements the league has witnessed under his watch. But I tell you, shabby security arrangements can rubbish everything they have done to re – position the league so far.” “Last season, despite concerted efforts, we still heard of cases where referees, match officials, and even whole teams were molested by some unidentified supporters of some home teams.”
“Even though very drastic reprisals followed in form of hefty fines, suspensions and even banishments to neutral grounds, nothing could compensate for the incalculable harm and psychological trauma to the affected persons.”
“My advice, therefore, is that more emphasis should be placed on proactive measures that would ensure that signs of potential combustible situations are nipped in the bud before it even occurs. This will save the LMC, and indeed all stakeholders the needless time, energy and resources wasted in arbitration and compensations in the long run.
“Imagine the bandwagon effect of a well coordinated security through all the match venues and the fulfillment of having hitherto critical, nervous fans thronging the stadiums again, content that their security concerns are over. Imagine a situation where no fan is any more scared of losing valuables to miscreants or being incessantly harangued to part with some money. Imagine where a fan now knows he can go see a match in the stadium with his whole family and not fearing the worst.?
“That is the kind of situation that would engender the much sought – after end to fans apathy to watching matches in our stadiums. What I propose is an el- dorado of sorts but I think its achievable with the right plan, structure and men to execute it.
“Shehu Dikko and his team at the LMC would do well to raise a security committee, made up of knowledgeable men and women in security matters, trained to handle league match situations. Once this is done, I tell you, our stadiums would begin to witness the crowds again like the days of old when fan destroyed match venues eight long hours before a kick – off. I witnessed it in the eighties, and I am sure that a lot of other people saw it too.
You remember the rivalry between Rangers International of Enugu and the IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan or the one between the Mighty Jets of Jos and the Raccah Rovers of Kano? Or the one between Stationery Stores of Lagos and the Water Corporation of Ibadan? Or the one between Leventis United of Ibadan and the Abiola Babes FC, both now defunct? Or the rivalry between the Bendel Insurance of Benin and the New Nigerian Bank of Benin? Fans usually braved extreme weather conditions to watch these teams and their stars. Then, it was really safe to go to watch these matches without the fear of being robbed, maimed or killed.
“I say it is possible to bring back the old days with the cooperation of everyone.”