Just like their counterparts in other countries, Nigerian football referees are often times referred to as joy killers especially when they make dubious calls. Most times, such deliberate mistakes are heavily influenced by the club that wants undue advantage over the other. It is also due to this same reason that some penalty kicks are manufactured by ‘egunje’ referees to favour some clubs. Thus, it is usually hard for a football season in Nigeria to end without ugly incidents of hooliganism triggered by bad officiating.
Therefore, in his attempt to stamp out such unprofessional behaviours by Nigerian referees, shortly before the start of the current season, the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, reconstituted the referees’ appointment Committee in line with the FIFA statues. It was a bold step in the right direction because the past board of the NFF had refused to entrust the sensitive committee in the care of retired referees as directed by FIFA. Instead, a member of the Executive Committee who had never blown even a ‘vigilante whistle’ was chairman of the referees’ appointment committee.
The aberration inevitably bred so much confusion as referees appointments were based on reasons other than merit. Unfortunately, all the pleas for the former NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, to remove Alhaji Sharif Rabi’u Inuwa ‘Ahlan’ as referees’ committee chairman fell on deaf ears until the assumption of office of Gusau. The new NFF president then took the bull by the horns by constituting a new committee made up of well known retired referees. The body is now headed by a renowned retired FIFA referee, Faith Irabor.
While inaugurating the 8-man referees’ committee, Gusau charged the members to appoint only those referees who would handle matches professionally. He also vowed that any referee who will attempt to sabotage the system would be summarily shown the exit door. Gusau summed it up by saying it won’t be business as usual. His stern warning was nothing new because his predecessors had issued similar threats that ended like water splashed on the back of a duck. So, many people took his words with a pinch of salt.
However, just seven weeks into the ongoing Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) abridged season, it is beginning to appear as if Gusau and his new committee mean serious business this time. This is because last week, the NFF approved and made public the list of referees that the committee had recommended for expulsion from the season for incompetence. At least eight referees who were found guilty of poor officiating will take no further part in the season. However, some were lucky to escape with a strong warning to sit up or be kicked out.
This is the way to go, if we are to witness improved officiating in the NPFL. Moreover, the referees are being pampered now so they have no excuse for failure. One of the commendable steps taken by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NPFL is no doubt its decision to take over the payment of referees’ indemnities from the clubs. The IMC has said based on the arrangement with one of its sponsors, GTI Investment, referees’ indemnities are paid directly into their bank accounts. By this arrangement, referees are no longer at the mercy of the clubs. They can afford to call the bluff club managers who once dictated the sounds of their whistles. So, much is given to the referees now, so much is also expected from them.
However, as laudable as the suspension or expulsion of the eight referees may be, it is also important to caution Irabor’s committee against intimidation or excessive control of the referees. As we all know, referees are also human beings and just as there are no perfect human beings, we shouldn’t expect the football arbiters to be perfect. They are bound to make mistakes especially in the absence Video Assistant Referees (VAR). So, the appeal here is first time offenders to be warned and given time to make amends. It is only when such referees refuse to change that the committee can apply the appropriate punitive measures.
Moreover, at the moment, the NPFL is not yet on live television so it is not possible for Nigerians to also watch the matches to appreciate the magnitude of offences committed by the referees. Yes, it may shock you to hear that some football fans have in-depth knowledge of the laws of the game. So, even if they are not in a position to reverse the decisions of the committee, they can at least say which was rightly or wrongly taken. But as it is, the matches are not available to Nigerians so it is hard for them to weigh in on the sentences passed on the eight referees.
In fact, the need for the committee to be more patient and diligent in dealing with the referees can’t be over stressed because if wisdom is not applied, what is being done to get the best out of the referees might back fire. This is because if referees become jittery, they might commit more blunders. Honestly, by breathing heavily down the necks of the referees, the committee will soon make them lose their composure. And if care is not taken, visiting teams might get undue favours because referees would want to prove their fairness by all means.
Therefore, Irabor’s committee should consider giving first time offenders a second chance. Expulsion should be applied when a case of recalcitrant behaviour has been duly established. However, a caveat is necessary at this juncture. This unsolicited plea shouldn’t induce complacency on the part of the referees because this is an appeal by someone who can neither query nor reverse any decision taken by the referees’ committee. The statutory power to call the committee to order resides with the NFF only. Therefore, referees will be on their own, if they go to sleep on the basis of this personal opinion.
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