Tony Ubani
31 December 2008
Topping Bayelsa United FC have been barred from playing in the Globacom Premier League until they cough out N25 million being salaries and sign-on fees owed players, coaches and officials of the club.
Chairman of the Nigeria Football League, Chief Oyuiki Obaseki, vowed yesterday that the Bayelsa team currently topping the Premier League with 31 points from 16 matches would henceforth forfeit three goals and three points to their opponents unless they remit the amount they are owing to the NFL. Obaseki, a Benin High Chief, was so pained that Bayelsa were the only team in the country that have refused to pay their players and officials so much and vowed that they would not kick a ball until they clear all their debts.
"I swore an oath that Bayelsa will not kick a ball until they pay. Is it not a shame that they are the only club yet to pay a dime to their workers? And why must they owe their workers?", he asked, without waiting for answers and launched further. "We (NFL) got N78 million from all other clubs who are owing and we have paid their players. It is only Bayelsa who are strong-headed. We have taken a decision and heaven cannot fall. They owe clubs and we pay clubs N10m per season. This is man's inhumanity to man", Obaseki said.
The NFL which took stock of its activities in 2008 said that, like every other organization, the league had its challenges, noting that they have not allowed those challenges to overwhelm them. "We see them as tonic and that is why we have been able to wax stronger with great strides and feats".
Reeling out part of their achievements, Chief Obaseki cited the beaming of premier league matches on television, notably Supersports and NTA to many countries but he was told that the stadia which look like deserts do not give good image to Nigerian league. "I cannot go and water their pitches for them.
The League purchased and distributed medical bags, electronic substitution boards, grass mowers, water sprinklers, electric generating sets for fax machines to all the clubs in Nigeria".
"We signed a technical and commercial partnership with the English FA Premier League to assist in restructuring the Nigeria Football League."
He also mentioned the acquisition of a permanent secretariat in Abuja, a guest house for Board and Committee members (18 rooms) among others. Obaseki also informed that they have increased indemnities and provision of accommodation for match officials which will see a referee grossing N80,000 per week.
He blamed Club Chairmen for inciting their supporters to intimidate and harass match officials while blaming the clubs for not doing enough to ensure massive turn-outs at match venues.
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