The verdict is out and for the fifth year in succession, no Nigerian player will be vying for the African Footballer of the year award. Unfortunately, this deserved omission of Nigerian players is not exactly surprising to many of us, as we have been aware of the slow decline of football in the country for some time. With that said, ten years ago an African Football Player award shortlist without a Nigerian would have been unthinkable!

I would borrow a phrase originally composed by Irish-born poet W.B. Yeats, "Things Fall Apart" as an apt description of the current events unfolding in the Nigerian football scene. Many soccer administrators in the country are quick to point to a lack of patriotism from players for this slide in fortune.

Of course the more vacuous fans are quick to pour the fault at the feet of the continent's football body, CAF, insinuating that its president Issa Hayatou holds a bias against Nigeria. How empty! However I beg to differ slightly and I do have my motive for deviating from this inane way of thinking.

Rashidi Yekini was a fantastic goal scorer by all standards. In defiance of his bulky frame, the former Vitoria Setubal striker was constantly making headlines due to his proficiency in front of goal. However, I do not believe that Yekini was that much better a striker than Obafemi Martins. Or even Aiyegbeni or Osaze Odemwingie.

Can we declare without any form of doubt that this is untrue? Of course not! Yekini was only fortunate to be in a better organised set-up than that of the present Eagles. If we brought Yekini from the glorious 1994 set and placed him into the present Nigeria team, he would end up looking as ordinary as every other player currently in the XI.

The wheels of football's cycle are turning in the country, and not for the better, and there are several factors contributing to our unremitting disgrace on the continental front.

Factor one: The NFF

The first malaise bothering Nigerian Football is the debauchery of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and its constituent members. There is a high level of ineptitude hovering around that ensemble of political jobbers and unscrupulous demagogues whose knowledge of the administration of football is as vast as a toddler's regarding Advanced Particle Physics.

Whenever any well-meaning individual rises up in an attempt to salvage the country's football, this bandwagon of aged and passé fellows garrote his ambitions and eventually make him feel as stupid as a sheep in a big city. Kojo Williams, John Fashanu and a few other individuals have been subjected to the ineptitude of these NFF members.

The present crop of football administrators have decided to perpetuate themselves in office. I cannot remember a time Sani Lulu was not in the Glass House. When the country's overseas-based players come to represent the country on national assignments, the avaricious officials begin to haggle unnecessarily with the players with regards to the airfare refunds and accommodation stipend due them.

Some analysts insist that there are countries where players do not expect fees from their FAs for attending qualifying games for the country. Yes! I agree there are, and I also commend their astute patriotism. However, in those countries the FA undertakes massive grass-roots development and there is clear evidence of proper usage of the annual developmental grants from world governing body FIFA. Unfortunately in Nigeria, the money ends up being used to construct new personal houses for the officials or they procure more brand new customised cars for themselves. Over $200,000 went missing from the NFF building a few months back, and after much hurling of words here and there, the matter has been quietly laid to rest. The missing money has joined the ever-growing list of mysterious events from the tent of the NFF.

Factor Two: Poor Youth Development Plan In Nigeria

There is no doubt that the nation's youth development policy is totally wrong, with no purposeful plan laid out for consistent development of young talents. There are far too many primary and secondary education institutions in the country devoid of any form of sports facility for pupils, and the majority of Nigerian kids learn to play any form of sports from highly unregulated environments, which ought not to be the case.

Isn't it funny to note that whilst the likes of Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas gradually progressed up the ladder of football excellence after the age grade tournament, Kennedy Chinwo, Daddy Bazuaye and David Abwo slowly faded into obscurity. I keep asking myself all the time where Julius Aghahowa (The forever 22-year-old legend), Pius Ikedia, and Obiorah are. Were they not in the same competition with Xavi Hernandes at the World Youth Championship hosted by Nigeria in 1999? These are all names that we would only hear about at age grade tournaments as they never get to make it past that level.

There was uproar recently amongst the NFF officials during the just concluded FIFA U-17 tourney hosted by Nigeria, when an ex-international player of the Super Eagles Adokiye Amiesimaka boldly claimed that the captain of the U-17 team Fortune Chukwudi presented himself to him (Adokiye) seven years ago as a seventeen year old boy. And no investigation was carried out to ascertain the veracity of the claim. Rather, unnecessary criticism was poured on the man with Taiwo Ogunjobi labeling him an "Unpatriotic" Nigerian. Perplexing!

When we sweep these glaring distortions under the carpet we create a situation where age grade competitions serve no purpose of continuity, thereby stunting the growth of the senior team. Isn't it already obvious that we are suddenly short of players in this country? I can, at every point, correctly name eight of the starting 11 for any Nigerian match for the next year at least!