FANNY AMUN, GUEST SPEAKER IN THE 5TH STEPHEN KESHI MEMORIAL LECTURE WANTS QUALITY, PERFORMANCE AND MERITS AS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE LEGACIES AND RESULTS OF LATE STEPHEN OKECHUKWU KESHI AS YARD STICK FOR APPOINTMENT OF SUPER EAGLES COACH

The 5th Stephen Keshi annual memorial lecture held on Friday 11 October 2024 at the media center of Samuel Ogbemudia stadium Benin in Edo State with the

theme: “Navigating the Super Eagles’ Coaching Conundrum: Perspectives on the Managerial Status Quandary between Local and Foreign Coaches” may have been greeted with missed opinions and reactions from the Speaker, Panelists and participants. But the bottom line is that all agreed that qualities and legacies of the late former super eagles coach, Stephen Keshi should be the yard stick for appointing the super eagles Manager

The guest speaker a former super eagles coach and Secretary general of the NFF highlighted the challenges inherent in the appointment of the super eagles coach under a ten point agenda

The theme highlights the ongoing debate and challenges surrounding the selection and status of the Super Eagles’ manager, exploring the dynamics between local and foreign coaching talents. The lecture delved into the historical context, comparative advantages, challenges, and future implications of this issue, while paying homage to Stephen Keshi’s legacy as a notable figure in Nigerian football coaching

According to the guest speaker who expressed reservation on the
THE WORD CONUNDRUM & CONFUSION said first and foremost
the theme of the 5th Anniversary has to do with the opinion of the organiser’s from a perspective of relating outside the national secretariat which may not be that of the football authorities considering the primary roles from the 2010 status as amended to either declare vacancies, adopt a legitimate screening processes, options to shortlist possible names, employ and the federation is at liberty to as well terminate the services of coaches either as a contract staff, including engagement of staffs in an interim capacity.

Secondly, according to the speaker ”
A coach is a coach in one word but when antics is to be involved another coronation is to tag them as local and foreign which is usually the deciding factor instead of the most relevant aspect to consider the qualities of the individual which will always be the factors that his performances will be measured at long last.

Thirdly, In our local adages it is often said that he who blows the piper should always decide the tone as well in the case of the football matters it is the football federation, Associations at the states, at the local football councils and that of the complimentary programmes are fully in charge to conclude every transaction.

FOUR.
It is only a time when we so embrace the realities that the supremacy of the National federations coupled with the states and local football councils exist over football matters. The journey is still not very close to the promise land.

FIVE.
Questions that are yet to be answered is to know that democracy as practiced globally enable expression to speak in the point of facts having a clear knowledge over issues of public interest and educate in the points of posing some superior arguments for the consenting views to be discussed and achieved at a solution guided by the same status that is still the referrer for clarity

SIX.
The leadership of the football federation should determine where the pendulum goes having a mandate to direct and reposition the affairs of the federation. Some of us will always suggest that equal opportunity should be given to the best credentials not only in documents hence his past may not be re invented and the colour should never be the yardstick in most cases.

SEVEN.
Missions on football culture will always be possible if the football federation has an intention to adopt a football culture but it has not been possible for the simple reason that we are still in a trial and error considering the array of foreign coaches with mixed football culture that has not reflected to achieve a unifying culture like those great countries like BRAZIL, GERMANY, EUROPE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE ROYAL STATE MORROCO

EIGHT.
National team players like in the case at the club sides, it should be based on MERIT devoid of any form of sentiments and affiliations be it political, culture, colour, tribes but strictly on its merits for only the best that is deserving.

NINE.
Comparative advantages should only be measured on merits if the options are placed on the table considering the fact that certificates vary and not a rocket science to acknowledge the grey areas to compare and so determine which should be what at every given time if merit was an option.

TEN.
As for my humble person my tributes are not just assessing our late brothers in Coaches Stephen Okechukwu Keshi and Amadu Shaibu of blessed memory as icons that came saw and conquered what life meant for them despite our submission that it was a painful exit but memorable in the sight of our creator which no human can question.

MY TAKE HOME AND CONCLUSSION.
While greatness will be the portion of the initiators of this laudable project in memory of our departed friends, may their gentle soul rest in perfect peace and for their families to bear the irreparable passage of their bread winner we should as well have a blessed day