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Anambra State Football: Minister Faces Integrity Test As He Gets Set To Decide The Fate Of Nigeria Football Tuesday

Published

6 years ago

October 13, 2020

Since the emergence of Ifeanyi Ubah as the undisputed Chairman of the Anambra State Football Association twice, the body language of the NFF has been funny if not absurd so it is necessary that we take a closer look and see if the NFF has a point after all or they are simply dancing naked in the market square

It was in line with this shameful development that the Minister for Sports, in reaction to a letter by Sen Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, the Anambra State FA Chairman, called for an intervention meeting with NFF and Anambra State Government in attendance with emphasis on the inconsistencies and questionable interference of the NFF in the dealings of the Anambra State FA

Before we proceed, it is vital that we take note of some key laws as enacted by the NFF Statutes of 2010, which is also assimilated down to the State Football Associations and Local Football Councils in Nigeria

Article 1 section 1 of the NFF statutes “The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), is a private organization of an associative nature in compliance with the laws of Nigeria” … This simply means that just like the NFF, the Anambra State Football Association is a private organization also in compliance with the laws of Anambra State and Nigeria. Thus, it is immune to and doesn’t recognize Government interference. This is why the Anambra State Government, lacks the powers to dictate when, how, and where elections can hold in the Association as it tried to do a few days ago.

2. Article 2 section Estates “to respect and prevent any infringement of the statutes, regulations, directives, and decisions of FIFA, CAF, WAFU, and NFF as well as the Laws of the Game and to ensure that these are also respected by its members”… The NFF is guilty of breaching this law by blatantly refusing to acknowledge the duly elected Chairman of Anambra State Football Association as voted by the Anambra State Football Congress, Sen Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah not once but twice

Article 3 states:

“1. NFF is neutral in matters of politics and religion

Discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or group of people on account of ethnic origin, gender, language, religion, POLITICS, or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by SUSPENSION or EXPULSION” … Again the NFF is guilty of breaking this law because it is public knowledge that Sen Ifeanyi Ubah and the present administration of Anambra State are not just rivals but belong to different political inclinations and thus, the NFF through Gusau, has no right to take the side of the government as his proclamations not only supports the government but edifies the interference of the State government in Anambra State Football. Gusau’s actions and the body language of the NFF presently, can be expressly interpreted as pure discrimination against the Anambra State Association Chairman, Sen Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, and thus, Gusau and his cohorts should be expelled from the NFF and banned from all footballing activities as stipulated in the law

Article 9 section 1 reads “The General Assembly shall decide whether to admit, suspend or expel a member” as supported by Article 14 .. The Anambra State Football Congress, appointed Emeka Ralph as its Acting Secretary when Onyedika Chijioke went AWOL during the election period only to resurface on the kangaroo nomination list, showing that he played an active part in sabotaging the success and smooth transition of the Anambra State FA elections

5. Article 10 section 1 states “The members of NFF are: (a) State Football Associations including the FCT… while Article 36 section 3 states “Any member of the Executive Committee must withdraw from the debate if there is any risk or possibility of conflict on interests with a member of NFF” … By the pronouncement circulated this morning and accredited to the NFF executive committee, it is clear that those involved have violated the above statutes as they have actively involved themselves in a debate against the clear wish of the Anambra State Football Association, which empowered by the Anambra State Congress, have elected Ifeanyi Ubah as the undisputed Chairman. By the above law, the publication is null and void

Article 18 section 2 states “The affiliated State Football Associations, Clubs, Leagues, and Groups of NFF shall take all decisions on any matters regarding their membership independently of any external body. This obligation applies regardless of their corporate structure”… The Anambra State Football Congress had never at any instance, called on the National Body to assist it with the decision making of any kind rather, it had gone about its legitimate business of ensuring a smooth transition of tenures and arrived at a very conclusive and peaceful resolution whereby more than 90% of the Congress adopted Ifeanyi Ubah as the Chairman. This means that the NFF which is an external body in this matter, is of little consequence and thus, its opinion is just for academic purposes as it has no bearing whatsoever on the final decision of the Anambra State Football Congress

Article 23 section A states “The General Assembly has the authority to adopt or amend the statutes, regulations governing the application of the statutes and standing orders of the General Assembly” also Article 30 article 4 states “A proposal for an amendment to the statutes shall be adopted only if three-quarters of the members present and eligible to vote agree to it”…. This gives the Anambra State Football Congress the power to amend the Anambra State Football statutes, authorizing the electoral committee to run the virtual elections

Article 24 section 1 states “Decisions taken by the General Assembly shall only be valid if the absolute majority (50% + 1) of the members who are entitled to vote are represented”.. More than 90% of the Congress consented to the amendment of the statutes as well as the appointment of Emeka Ralph as the Acting Secretary of the Association

Article 25 section 2 reads “A decision that requires a vote shall be reached by show of hands or by means of an electronic count….” On this premise, the Anambra State Football Congress has the right to approve the use of a virtual system in the conducting of the elections that produced Sen Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah as the Chairman of the Anambra State Football Association

Article 26 section 4 states “The elections shall be conducted in accordance and compliance with Electoral Code of the NFF as directed by FIFA” … Failure of the NFF to state any default in the process of elections itself, is a testament to the fact that the elections were held in full compliance with the NFF and FIFA statutes

From the above, it is clear that the NFF is flagrantly breaking multiple laws which it should be protecting and clearly shows that no wrongdoing or shortcuts were employed by either the Anambra State Football Congress and Electoral Committee before, during, and after the elections that produced Sen Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah as the undisputed Chairman of the Anambra State Football Association not once but twice!

The NFF goofed over its defense on the Caretaker Committee as Gusau (the NFF representative at the meeting) couldn’t point out the laws that enable the NFF to contravene itself as the same NFF in 2019, clearly reiterated that Caretaker Committees are illegal in Nigeria Football

The Anambra State Government representative, Tony Oli who engaged in impersonating the non-existent Commissioner for Sports in the State, stated that the Anambra State NCDC is superior to the National NCDC and thus, the National stance on Covid-19 protocols, are of no relevance or bearing in Anambra State unless endorsed by the State NCDC

Sen Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah presented a 169-page detailed dossier, enumerating the authenticity of his election as well as the illegality of the NFF actions, which is clearly politically motivated and has nothing to do with football. The dossier also exposed the threats of the Anambra State Government to the Electoral Committee during the election period, proving blatant Government interference and obvious connivance with the NFF in the issue. The dossier is fully equipped with pictures, signed letters, and other documents relating to the elections before, during, and after

The Honourable Minister, who was mightily impressed by the preparedness and factual stance of Sen Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah especially with the presentation of the 169-page dossier, promised to make the position of the Ministry has known tomorrow, stating that it will be just and go a long way in resolving the brouhaha

I hereby call on the Honourable Minister for Sports, Hon Sunday Dare, to quickly arrest this situation and not allow these persons ruin the good works and achievements he has accomplished thus far including his integrity and reputation

In the light of this development, NFF President Amaju Pinnick risks failing integrity tests in the forthcoming CAF elections

Long live Nigeria Football!

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Strategic Partnerships, Diaspora Investment and Improved Workforce Critical to Industrialization-DG RMRDC

Published

20 hours ago

November 12, 2026

The Gleamer

By: Stella Azi and Adaora Adibe

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called for a strategic shift from the exportation of raw commodities to domestic processing, manufacturing and value addition, declaring that Nigeria possesses enormous untapped raw material resources capable of driving industrialisation, creating jobs and strengthening the country’s economic competitiveness.

Prof. Ike-Muonso made this submission in a lecture titled Unlocking Nigeria’s Raw Material Value Chain for Industrialization, Manufacturing and Competitiveness, where he presented an extensive assessment of Nigeria’s resource endowments, industrial challenges and emerging investment opportunities across agricultural commodities, solid minerals and waste-based raw materials.

The lecture highlighted a combined US$2.65 trillion global market opportunity across 30 major raw material value chains, comprising 12 agricultural value chains valued at US$932 billion, 11 mineral value chains worth US$1.352 trillion and seven circular-economy value chains estimated at US$366 billion.

According to the RMRDC Boss, Nigeria must move beyond the traditional approach of extracting and exporting raw materials to building competitive domestic industries that transform these resources into intermediate products, industrial inputs and finished goods for local consumption and international markets.

He observed that the country’s manufacturing sector has struggled to sustain its 2014 peak, with its contribution to real Gross Domestic Product declining from 9.64 per cent in 2014 to 8.05 per cent in 2025, representing a 16.5 per cent decline. He also drew attention to the increasing cost of raw material imports, which rose to US$20.5 billion in 2025, approximately six times the 2020 level.

He explained that the growing dependence on imported industrial inputs exposes Nigerian manufacturers to foreign exchange volatility, increases production costs and weakens the competitiveness of locally manufactured products.

Prof. ke-Muonso stressed that the solution lies in developing domestic raw material value chains through deliberate investment in processing facilities, research and development, technology, infrastructure and stronger linkages between producers, processors and manufacturers.

He identified agriculture, solid minerals and industrial waste as three major resource platforms for Nigeria’s industrial transformation, stating the country’s significant production capacity and the enormous opportunities available for downstream processing.

Ike-Muonso noted that Nigeria produces over 63 million metric tonnes of cassava annually, making it the world’s largest producer, while also maintaining strong positions in cocoa, cashew, sesame, palm oil and cotton. However, more than 80 per cent of agricultural output leaves farms without adequate processing, resulting in the loss of significant economic value and industrial opportunities.

In the solid minerals sector, he identified more than 44 commercially viable minerals across over 500 locations, including lithium, gold, barite, bitumen, iron ore and high-grade limestone, describing them as strategic resources capable of supporting steel production, energy storage, electrification and advanced manufacturing.

The DG further drew attention to Nigeria’s industrial and agro-waste resources, noting that the country generates over 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually. He explained that agricultural residues, cassava peels, scrap metals, plastics and electronic waste could serve as important feedstock for bio-fertilisers, industrial chemicals, recycled polymers, energy production and other manufacturing applications.

In the agricultural sector, the DG identified cassava and industrial starch, cotton and natural textiles, natural rubber and elastomers, oil palm and oleochemicals, maize derivatives and cocoa processing as priority areas requiring increased investment.

He explained that processing agricultural commodities into industrial starch, sweeteners, textiles, technical rubber, specialty fats and other intermediate products would enable Nigeria to capture more value from its agricultural resources while reducing dependence on imported industrial inputs.

For the minerals sector, he highlighted crude oil-to-olefins and petrochemicals, lithium and energy storage, iron ore and steel, rare earth elements, bauxite and aluminium, and copper and electrification as strategic investment opportunities.

He particularly emphasised the importance of moving beyond mineral extraction into beneficiation, refining, battery precursors, industrial chemicals, metal fabrication and advanced materials production.

On the circular economy, Prof. Ike-Muonso identified electronic waste recovery, scrap metal recycling, plastic waste processing, agro-waste valorisation and battery recycling as emerging industrial opportunities.

He explained that transforming waste into productive industrial feedstock would not only reduce environmental pollution but also create new manufacturing industries, generate employment and reduce the importation of valuable industrial materials.

He noted that to address the structural challenges confronting raw material-based industrialisation, the DG highlighted the strategic interventions of the RMRDC, particularly the proposed 30% Value Addition Bill and the Nigeria Integrated Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP).

He described the 30% Value Addition Bill as an important policy instrument designed to encourage domestic processing of raw materials before export, strengthen local manufacturing capacity and guarantee access to essential raw materials for Nigerian industries, and NISSRAMP as a critical data infrastructure that would improve access to verified information on the availability, location and quality of raw materials.

According to him, the combination of appropriate policy instruments and reliable resource data would help de-risk investments, improve transparency and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration among government, academia and industry in developing bankable projects, sharing investment risks and accelerating the establishment of processing and manufacturing facilities.

Professor Ike-Muonso called on Nigerians in the diaspora and other local and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities available in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He identified industrial processing parks, mineral beneficiation and refining, agro-industrial platforms, circular-material processing, industrial input manufacturing and enabling infrastructure as viable investment platforms.

He noted that diaspora investors could contribute beyond financial capital by bringing technology, international business networks, governance standards, technical expertise and access to global markets.

He maintained that Nigeria’s industrial transformation requires coordinated investment across the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing and aggregation to processing, manufacturing, certification and export development.

Professor Ike-Muonso stressed that the country’s industrial future would depend not merely on the volume of raw materials extracted but on the capacity to transform them into competitive products that meet domestic and international market requirements.

He maintained that developing local value chains would stimulate industrial growth, create employment opportunities, diversify exports, conserve foreign exchange and deepen Nigeria’s technological capabilities.

Through its strategic interventions, the RMRDC is positioning itself as a critical bridge between resource availability, investment opportunities and industrial competitiveness, with the ultimate objective of transforming Nigeria from a predominantly raw material exporting economy into a strong manufacturing and value-adding nation.

Ike-Muonso has demonstrated this since assumption of office as the Director General/ CEO RMRDC in the area of capacity building, improved working conditions, promotion of merit, and maintaining a conducive environment that rewards excellence, innovation and dedication. This is evident in his institution of RMRDC training school, reward for winners of the RMRDC innovation challenge among others.

His commitment has brought recognition both nationally and internationally: Al-Jazirah double honour awards as Public Servant /Government Agency of the year 2024-2025 and the recent election as the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Representative on the Board of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) is a attestation to his commitment.

Concluding the lecture, the DG charged staff, researchers, manufacturers and investors to see themselves as nation builders in the new era of raw materials-led industrialization.

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