[Comment]Adokiye Amiesimaka: The Man Who Told The Truth

...Read the full...

Click here to read the entire article

[Godwin]

Originally Posted by ugwunagbo

''if anybody knows why this couple should not be joined in the holy matrimony, please come forward or forever hold your peace''. which is honourable, come forward at the right time or wait at the labour ward to say ' hay, i want to tell the truth about the pregnancy. cheap blackmail.

nobody is saying that telling the truth is not honourable, what people are kicking against is '' how come he kept mute until now. or did he just visit his parish priest for confession''. as a sports administrator, i am sure he has been following the development right from the dressing room. coming out now to tell the 'truth' of what he claims he knew beats my imagination.dont tell me that its better late than never.

It is actually better late than never.

[Godwin]

Originally Posted by Mikky jaga

So they play Division one game here in Nigeria, therefore they must be overaged? How many of our division one players go straight into the premiership or its equivalent in Europe? Many of the players brought by the other countries play in their clubs too. Many in the feeder teams where our boys would end up if given invitation to play. So, why the double standard for Nigeria?

LWKMD

A player that has been playing Premier League football for over 4 years starting at age 12 or below certainly needs to be probed.

[Otimkpu]

Adokiye may be wrong. He said that the boy told him that he was 18 years in 2003. The feeder team the boy wanted to play for is for those in the age bracket of 18 to 20 years according to Adokiye. How is he sure that boy in order not to be denied the opportunity to play lied to him that he is 18 years old when is not. Secondly, there is no evidence to prove that the boy is above what he said he is. Saying that the boy is 25 years old while the actual calculation from Adokiye's point of view is 24 years proves Adokiye to be wrong. If the Fortune Chukwudi was 18 years old in 2003, arithmetic proves that between 2003 and 2009 is 6 years. Therefore, 6 + 18 = 24. Based on this, I stand here to prove that Adokiye is wrong in his assessment since: 1) the boy should be 24 years by him (Adokiye) and he said the boy is 25 years, 2) he did not take into cognizance that the boy might not have told him the truth since he (Fortune) is desperate in playing for the feeder team knowing that telling him his actual age might deny him the opportunity.

Again, from every point of view Adokiye did not say what he said with good spirit knowing fully well that such statement is capable of disqualifying the country from the tournament. secondly, making the team to lose focus and concentration.

The question Adokiye should answer is what he gains by saying this now the competition is on. NFF has told us the boys are undergoing constant screening and scanning by FIFA.

Therefore, Adokiye actions should be condemned.

I am not saying that the boys may not be more than 17 years, but there is no proof on that for now. As far as I am concerned what he is saying is speculations. Period.

[Mikky jaga]

Science may not be perfect, but a science that is meant to discover anybody above 17 that missed a man of 25 years is no longer science, it is juju.

FYI Henry Nwosu (MON) played Nations Cup for Green Eagles at 16.

[Godwin]

Originally Posted by Otimkpu

Adokiye may be wrong. He said that the boy told him that he was 18 years in 2003. The feeder team the boy wanted to play for is for those in the age bracket of 18 to 20 years according to Adokiye. How is he sure that boy in order not to be denied the opportunity to play lied to him that he is 18 years old when is not. Secondly, there is no evidence to prove that the boy is above what he said he is. Saying that the boy is 25 years old while the actual calculation from Adokiye's point of view is 24 years proves Adokiye to be wrong. If the Fortune Chukwudi was 18 years old in 2003, arithmetic proves that between 2003 and 2009 is 6 years. Therefore, 6 + 18 = 24. Based on this, I stand here to prove that Adokiye is wrong in his assessment since: 1) the boy should be 24 years by him (Adokiye) and he said the boy is 25 years, 2) he did not take into cognizance that the boy might not have told him the truth since he (Fortune) is desperate in playing for the feeder team knowing that telling him his actual age might deny him the opportunity.

Again, from every point of view Adokiye did not say what he said with good spirit knowing fully well that such statement is capable of disqualifying the country from the tournament. secondly, making the team to lose focus and concentration.

The question Adokiye should answer is what he gains by saying this now the competition is on. NFF has told us the boys are undergoing constant screening and scanning by FIFA.

Therefore, Adokiye actions should be condemned.

I am not saying that the boys may not be more than 17 years, but there is no proof on that for now. As far as I am concerned what he is saying is speculations. Period.

He wrote about 2002/2003 football season.

The feeder team was defacto U-20 (i.e there can be 16 year old school leavers) and not necessarily for 18-20.

You will like to believe Chukwudi was a 10 year old in 2002.

"In 2002/2003, I was Chairman of Sharks of Port-Harcourt. I decided to have a feeder team of fresh school leavers not older than 20 years. As the feeder team concept was relatively new and because I had my ideas about how a team at that level should be handled, I also doubled as its coach. And we had remarkable results in that period. I am sure that fans in Rivers State still remember how we played friendly matches with teams with much older players all over the state and regularly won by wide margins.

One of my key players then is the current captain of our so-called U-17 team. By his own admission at that time, that is, seven years ago, he was 18 years old. Please do the arithmetic yourself. MRI test or not, his football history is common knowledge. If we are not utterly irresponsible how can he be eligible for this tournament when he is not less than 25 years old now?"

[Otimkpu]

Originally Posted by Godwin

Another player Olanrewaju Kayode is allegedly overage.

http://www.punchng.com


Chukwudi is not U-17, Adokiye insists


A former Green Eagles star, Adokiye Amiesimaka, has insisted that Golden Eaglets captain Fortune Chukwudi is over the 17 year age limit for the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Chukwudi‘s date of birth is given as November 18, 1992 on the FIFA website, but Amiesimaka says the defender cannot be less than 25 years old.

The Nigeria Football Federation has maintained that its players are truly under-17, citing the Magnetic Resonance Imaging tests as proof of the boys‘ ages.

Amiesimaka said, “I‘m absolutely sure that this Fortune guy is at least 25. I groomed him seven years ago and he was one of the best players in my feeder team. The feeder team was like my baby and I knew Fortune quite well back then.

”The team had players who were between 18 and 20 and he told me then he was 18. We had no way of testing their ages, but we asked them about their education backgrounds and we made some checks to know if they were young.

”He even had a knee injury at a point and when he recovered he tried to register with Ocean Boys. He played for the Sharks feeder team in early 2003 against the Flying Eagles in a friendly. It was at the Liberation Stadium (Port Harcourt) and the Flying Eagles won 4-2. What more proof do they want that I know the guy very well? He told me he was 18 then and he can‘t be less than 25 now.”

Amiesimaka, who was the Chairman of Sharks back in 2002 and coached the feeder team, said Chukwudi was not the only player whose age was doubtful in the Eaglets.

He said, ”One of the other players, Olanrewaju Kayode, cannot also be under-17. He wanted to play for Sharks feeders in 2002 and he said he had finished secondary school back then. How then can he still be under-17? There might still be others but, as a lawyer, I don‘t want to speculate.”

Nigeria Football Federation officials have labelled Amiesimaka an unpatriotic person who might have a hidden agenda for his claims, but the ex-international insists that he loves his country and is not eyeing anybody‘s job.

He said, ”Patriotism is wanting the best for your country all the time and that‘s exactly what I want. We have the potential to be the best in this country and we cannot realise that potential by cheating.

”When I write, I don‘t just criticise, I also make suggestions on how things can be better. I served this country when I was young. I played for Nigeria when I was in the university and the law school and I always gave my best. How many of these guys can claim to be more patriotic?”

Godwin,
From the post you sent I got the information I made my analysis. The underlined is from your post that the team is comprised of players who are between 18 and 20 years. I don't know where you got the information that somebody that is 16 years could be in the team. If the least age is 18 how do you think that less than 18 years could be accepted.

In another post, it was postulated that Adokiye formed the feeder team in 2003. It was also in that 2003 that it was assumed that Fortune played for the feeder team.

There is no basis to defend the defenseless. The underlined quote said that there is no basis to determine their age, therefore no birthday certificate was presented and their parents were not consulted. It was only a gentleboy's agreement that the boy was accepted. I still maintain that the boy might have told Adokiye (if at all he was the same guy that played in his feeder team) that he was 18 in order not to be disqualified on age ground. If the boy told him 6 years ago that he was 18 and he stupidly accept it without proof, he should also accept the guy now he said that he is 17 with the fact that there is a proof - the MRI scan. If oyibo man's magic could not identify the boy's age it is their fault and not his.

As you defend Adokiye, try as much as possible to marry your post with your defense so that you will not lose focus.

[nijalaw]

Originally Posted by Otimkpu

Godwin,
From the post you sent I got the information I made my analysis. The underlined is from your post that the team is comprised of players who are between 18 and 20 years. I don't know where you got the information that somebody that is 16 years could be in the team. If the least age is 18 how do you think that less than 18 years could be accepted.

In another post, it was postulated that Adokiye formed the feeder team in 2003. It was also in that 2003 that it was assumed that Fortune played for the feeder team.

There is no basis to defend the defenseless. The underlined quote said that there is no basis to determine their age, therefore no birthday certificate was presented and their parents were not consulted. It was only a gentleboy's agreement that the boy was accepted. I still maintain that the boy might have told Adokiye (if at all he was the same guy that played in his feeder team) that he was 18 in order not to be disqualified on age ground. If the boy told him 6 years ago that he was 18 and he stupidly accept it without proof, he should also accept the guy now he said that he is 17 with the fact that there is a proof - the MRI scan. If oyibo man's magic could not identify the boy's age it is their fault and not his.

As you defend Adokiye, try as much as possible to marry your post with your defense so that you will not lose focus.

Okay he was 12 years old in 2003 & fooled Adokiye he was 18.So what age is he now?

[Godwin]

Originally Posted by Otimkpu

Godwin,
From the post you sent I got the information I made my analysis. The underlined is from your post that the team is comprised of players who are between 18 and 20 years. I don't know where you got the information that somebody that is 16 years could be in the team. If the least age is 18 how do you think that less than 18 years could be accepted.

In another post, it was postulated that Adokiye formed the feeder team in 2003. It was also in that 2003 that it was assumed that Fortune played for the feeder team.

There is no basis to defend the defenseless. The underlined quote said that there is no basis to determine their age, therefore no birthday certificate was presented and their parents were not consulted. It was only a gentleboy's agreement that the boy was accepted. I still maintain that the boy might have told Adokiye (if at all he was the same guy that played in his feeder team) that he was 18 in order not to be disqualified on age ground. If the boy told him 6 years ago that he was 18 and he stupidly accept it without proof, he should also accept the guy now he said that he is 17 with the fact that there is a proof - the MRI scan. If oyibo man's magic could not identify the boy's age it is their fault and not his.

As you defend Adokiye, try as much as possible to marry your post with your defense so that you will not lose focus.

I wrote

He wrote about 2002/2003 football season.

The feeder team was defacto U-20 (i.e there can be 16 year old school leavers) and not necessarily for 18-20.

You will like to believe Chukwudi was a 10 year old in 2002.

There can be 16 year old school leavers or even 14. (Adokiye didn't write that).

If you want to be objective a 10 year old boy cannot pass as 18.

There are too many cases of age fraud in Nigerian football.

[Mikky jaga]

Originally Posted by Godwin

I wrote


There can be 16 year old school leavers or even 14. (Adokiye didn't write that).

If you want to be objective a 10 year old boy cannot pass as 18.

There are too many cases of age fraud in Nigerian football.

If you want to be objective a 25 year old man cannot pass as 17. The only thing objective here is the MRI scan that FIFA is holding on to.

[Godwin]

Originally Posted by Mikky jaga

If you want to be objective a 25 year old man cannot pass as 17. The only thing objective here is the MRI scan that FIFA is holding on to.

http://thepmnews.com/files/2009/11/e...er-fortune.jpg

Does passing a lie detector mean you are saying the truth?

How do you know he passed FIFA MRI? maybe he only passed NFF MRI?

FIFA will only do random MRI scan tests on 4 players each from participating teams.

[Mikky jaga]

Originally Posted by Godwin

http://thepmnews.com/files/2009/11/e...er-fortune.jpg

Does passing a lie detector mean you are saying the truth?

How do you know he passed FIFA MRI? maybe he only passed NFF MRI?

FIFA will only do random MRI scan tests on 4 players each from participating teams.

Does passing a lie detector mean you are saying the truth? No, but passing the lie detector puts you in a better stead than those that failed the lie detector.

How do you know he passed FIFA MRI? maybe he only passed NFF MRI? How do you know he did not pass the FIFA MRI test? Only FIFA can tell, and they are not making any fuss of it, only Mr do-gooder Adokiye knows it all..

FIFA will only do random MRI scan tests on 4 players each from participating teams. Random test means they are not interested in every player in particular passing the test.

[purple]

Not to take away from the ongoing discussion here, I have an observation to make.

Do you think that the environment in which a person is raised can age that individual? If you go to a 5th grade class in the US which will have kids aged bw 10 & 11, and you compare their photographs with primary 5 children from Naija (ages 10 & 11), especially those at the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder, you will marvel at the physical differences.

While one group (won't tell you which one ) is likely to look more hardened, leaner, more hungry looking, some with hollow cheeks, sharp collar bones sticking out and they tend to be more aggresive in behavior, they rush over supplies, they hustle and their overall demeanour takes on a more adultish appearance.

The other group (keep guessing) look softer, have more filled out cheeks, look more genteel, may not be as physically aggressive, can be more passive, don't rush over supplies and sport a more overall babyish immature look.

Spot the difference. The environment!!! A child who is woken up at 5am to fetch water, a child who hawks after school, a child who gets knocked on the head or whipped for infractions, a child who splits fire wood, runs adult type errands from an early age ati be be lo will look more mature, older and hardened than his pampered counter parts.

I begy I am not saying Adokiye Amiesimaka is right or wrong, just that there may be other reasons why our U17 resemble Papa Eagles

[Godwin]

http://www.punchng.com

Published 11/8/2009 12:45:00 AM



I am overwhelmed and humbled by the tremendous support that I have received since last Sunday from within and outside Nigeria through phone calls, e-mails and text messages, for my strongly held view that it is counter productive, wrong and unacceptable for us to use over-age, and so ineligible players, in an age-grade tournament such as the on-going FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. I feel reassured that all is not lost in my country. And that despite our unwholesome reputation in international circles as a country of crooks, where dubious practices are the norm and edifying values derided as old-fashioned, there are still many that can be an inspiration for the future.

Let me also acknowledge that I feel privileged to be aware of views that are contrary to mine, even though some of them may be wanting in the realm of civility. At least, by seeing their perspective too, it becomes easier to note areas that may require further elucidation. However, it must be quickly mentioned that our leaders, having swamped us in the last one year or so with slogans of ‘‘rebranding‘‘ Nigeria, have squandered the first real opportunity to reach out to the leaders of tomorrow from across the globe that are now assembled in Nigeria and show them that what Nigeria has to offer tomorrow is better and greater than what has gone before.

I will be glad if we can all be on the same page as that may facilitate communication. Let us look at the heading of this piece, if we may. It talks about letting our children down, and not the children of any other country. The genuine U-17 children that we know are still in secondary school or just passing out of school, and whom we have deprived from participating in a development tournament that FIFA meant for them, by our dishonest use of over-age players are our children. Countries that know what the tournament is all about do not have as much a sense of being cheated by us as of scorn, derision and pity for us. We may beat any of them by as wide a margin as we choose and lift the trophy as often as it pleases us the only thing that may be hurt is their pride. While they go back with the full benefits of not only participating in the tournament, but also preparing for it, we live in the fool‘s paradise of being ‘‘U-17 world champions‘‘ with the hope for a better tomorrow that never materialises.

The only country that has won this tournament as often as we have done is Brazil. But Brazil has also won the one that really counts, the senior World Cup, a record five times and appeared in every World Cup since its introduction in 1930. Conversely, in our own case, in our three appearances we never got to the quarter-finals of any. Interestingly, our only chance of qualifying for the historic 2010 World Cup in South Africa is by the grace of Tunisia, a country that has never won the U-17 tournament and yet has been to the senior World Cup more often than us. As a result, while you can justify Brazil‘s performance at U-17 level the same cannot be said of our own.

You see, the greatest benefit derivable from this tournament is actually the process of preparing for it. That process involves the setting up of structures and facilities to organise local competitions for young teenagers (between say 12 and 15 years old), discovery of talented ones among them, and their professional grooming over a reasonable period so that by the time of the tournament the oldest among them should be just about 17 years old. This process has to be institutionally entrenched to ensure regularity and consistency. In Nigeria, children of that age bracket should still be in secondary school. That is why I have always recommended a synergy of the ministries of sports and education to facilitate the process. As you can imagine, the training programme and local competitions have to take cognisance of the academic calendar.

The point must be made that the men that we have been parading as ‘‘U-17‘‘ are our children too. But they should not deprive our other children that are truly U-17 of their opportunity to develop to the next level. Rather, they should contest for shirts in the more senior teams including the Super Eagles. Maybe, if the likes of Fortune Chukwudi, Abdul Ajagun, Stanley Okoro, Olanrewaju Kayode, and some of the others teamed up with Osaze Odemwingie, we would have a more formidable Super Eagles.

We are fond of playing the ostrich in this country, but we do so very poorly, don‘t we? It is no secret that scores of Nigerian footballers travel to Europe and other parts of the developed world in search of greener pastures. Usually, they don‘t do so when they are very young. Not only that, many of them first register with ‘‘big‘‘ clubs in Nigeria in the hope of enhancing their marketability. As they criss-cross foreign lands their identities are carefully noted. If they don‘t succeed, they may return home. Several years later, they may fake their way into our U-17 team with the full support and encouragement of visionless and greedy sports authorities, to play against the same countries that they may have traversed years earlier. That those countries do not file protests does not mean that they are not aware of the fraud. They may only give us a pitying look and wonder how we can be so short-sighted.

Only about two months ago, it was widely reported that almost the entire U-17 team that we were preparing for this tournament failed MRI tests. So, we had to hurriedly put together another ‘‘U-17‘‘ team. In the world of cable television, internet, and mobile phones, how can we be so deluded as to think that anyone that truthfully says that we have still not beaten our unfortunate habit of cheating is disclosing a secret? Not only that, FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner had credited us with the eighth wonder of the world for finally hosting the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1999. The way this hurriedly put together ‘‘U-17‘‘ team is performing we may not have any rival for the ninth wonder of the world. Never in the history of football have such ‘‘young‘‘ players been transformed into such potential world beaters in so short a time in a country with no credible youth programme! Who do we think we are fooling?

None of my sons is under 17 years of age. So, I am not scheming to give any son of mine an opportunity to play at that level. But I always felt concerned about the inexcusable neglect the critically important age-grade sector has been suffering in our domestic football. That was the main reason I single-handedly put together and coached a feeder team for Sharks of which I was chairman in 2002/03, before the feeder team was taken over by the government.

Let me reiterate unequivocally and unambiguously that the captain of our so-called U-17 team was a member of that team, and that he claimed to be 18 years old at that time. In all humility, as a legal practitioner with over 30 years post-call experience and a man privileged to have been the Hon. Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice of a state, I will not speak about such a matter in the public domain without being sure of my facts. Only last year, this same player represented Degema LGA of Rivers State, even though he is not from there, in the Governor‘s Cup. And there is documentary evidence kept in a secure place attesting what I have said about him. If our sports authorities had any sense of responsibility or appreciated the seriousness of the matter and were not party to this fraud, instead of running from one media house to another disrespectfully calling me names, what they should have done was to immediately cause an independent body to investigate it. From available evidence it would not have taken more than a few minutes to determine the truth.

For the avoidance of doubt, I do not have any personal problem with the player. As I have stated, I gave him the opportunity to develop his talent at as early an age as was practicable in the circumstances at absolutely no cost to him or any of the other players in my feeder team. And he was one of the most promising players. I made the programme very intensive (like wanting to make up for lost time), encouraged them to believe in themselves, and treated them like my children. In fact, many fans used to wonder why I would come from the pinnacle of a club to coach a feeder team, rain or shine. But having had that kind of opportunity he should aspire to greater heights and not deny much younger and eligible children their own opportunity. Again, he is not the only ineligible player in the team. And that is why I can boldly say that the MRI scan that the sports authorities are making all the hoo-ha about is a scam, at least to the extent of a thorough screening of the host team, if you get the message. Of course, other teams should be tested too, but what concerns me most is the integrity of our team.

I could not have talked seriously about this player or any of the others earlier because the sports authorities did not give us the opportunity see them play any major friendly matches before the tournament began. And you do not make such a serious allegation without seeing the players whose names you may have only read in the newspaper. Who does not know that as some players falsify their ages so too do they adopt names other than their own. Not that any earlier warning would have meant anything to the sports authorities anyway in view of their publicly acknowledged resolve to cheat in order to realise their win at all cost objective. And as the custodian of players‘ records, the NFA cannot claim not to know the history of its players. Remember the controversial interviews the officials gave early this year confirming that it was official policy to use over-age players?

My first article in SUNDAY PUNCH was at the end of September 2007, soon after we won the 12th edition of the tournament in South Korea. From its heading, Soul searching in Seoul, you do not have to read it to imagine what it was about. Since then, I have written not less than 15 articles on our dishonourable and counter-productive cheating habit. As early as March 9, 2008, that is 21 months ago, in my piece with the heading, We can be so good, I even detailed how the authorities could raise and nurture a credible U-17 team for this tournament. Sadly, everything fell on deaf ears. Recall also the unprintable names they called me when on February 8, 2009, in a four-part serial with the heading, Still a long way to go, I advised the sports minister on what he could do to ensure that we did not present a team that would embarrass us?

I do not merely try to analyse the state of affairs of our football. I have also consistently made suggestions about how best to tackle our challenges. Despite the hostile posture of the sports authorities, I have never hesitated to share information with them that could be helpful to our teams. Recall NFA board member Taiwo Ogunjobi‘s published surprising reaction to my articles thanking me for the quality of my observations and suggestions? Recall also the ‘‘useful tips‘‘ sent through another board member Dr Peter Singabele to the team en route for Tunisia for the ‘‘battle of Rades‘‘ last June? I have always been motivated by the best interest of my country. And yet they say that I want them to fail. How can that be when they have stubbornly strayed into a quagmire and failed already?

The guilty flee when none is in pursuit. Let me make it clear that I am not interested in the office of sports minister. In the first place, I am not a member of any political party and I have never even attended a rally. Also, in the current dispensation you cannot be the chairman of the NFA unless the sports minister gives his approval. Certainly, none can accuse me of doing anything to endear myself to him.

By the way, I am not greedy for power and position either. I have politely turned down appointments even at federal level (see page 54 of THISDAY of Sept. 10, 2004). Earlier in 1999, I voluntarily resigned from the LOC board of FIFA U-20 World Cup and as chairman of Port-Harcourt zone. Of course, they were all based on principle. So, Sani Lulu and Co. should stop shivering with fright whenever I speak.

I am filled with an overwhelming sense of outrage that those that have never rendered true service to their country but have only used public office to blindly pursue selfish interests have the effrontery to question my patriotism.

I was privileged to attend the oldest and one of the most distinguished secondary schools in Nigeria, CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos, where I did my ‘‘O‘‘ and ‘‘A‘‘ Levels from 1969-1975. I knew the true meaning of selfless service when I became senior prefect in 1974/1975. From that time through university and Law School, it was my honour and privilege to play for my country juggling the rigours of academics and elite sports without complaint, but with pride and equanimity.

Concluded

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[godfather]

This is very disgraceful!

[Godwin]

http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/ar...NFF/Page1.html


Adokiye versus the NFF



This past week has been dominated by the controversy stirred by Adokiye Amiesimaka's comments regarding the age of Nigeria’s Under-17 captain, Fortune Chukwudi.

Such has been the heated nature of the debate that my Facebook page has been absolutely sizzling!

For the avoidance of doubt, it is my firm belief that Adokiye was right in calling out what he saw as a case of cheating in an under age tournament.

However, most people have argued that his timing was wrong. The argument is that he should have spoken out earlier, or waited until after the tournament when the visitors would have departed before raising such an embarrassing issue.

I beg to disagree.

Amiesimaka probably only recognised Chukwudi after watching the team play during their group phase games.

Let us remember that the column that he writes is weekly. He would have already sent in his copy for the week before the tournament kicked off, and the next time he would write, the Golden Eaglets would have played all their group matches.

So if indeed he recognised him from watching him play, then he spoke as soon as he could, and should not be called out for that.

As to whether he should have waited until after the tournament, my answer to that is no, because it wouldn't have made a jot of difference.

Say Nigeria go on and win the tournament, and a week later, he comes out to say what he said, would the whole world still not hear about it? Would the country still not be embarrassed?

Whose fault would it be then? The player who cheated, the complicit officials who connived with him, or the man who spoke the truth?

There is no good time. Before, during and after, its all the same difference.

Here is why.

Two years ago, my friend China Acheru was working with me at KickOffNigeria.com and he came to me with evidence that a member of that squad was married with two kids and was born in a year which made him ineligible to participate in that competition.

This was a few days to the kickoff of the tournament and the official squad had been named.

I called up a top member of the NFA chairman's staff and a member of the executive committee and asked them to drop the player.

They told me to leave it be, 'in the national interest' as time was too short to find a replacement along with other excuses.


To my eternal shame, I did.

That young man went on to play a major part as Nigeria won the World Cup two years ago.

I tried to justify my action to myself that at least I did it for the country and I neither asked for, nor received any sort of gratification.

But that is scant, if any consolation. The bare truth of the matter is that I helped cover up an age cheat when I could have outed him.

Maybe if that had happened, we would not be at the point where Adokiye would be calling out another age cheat in the middle of the competition.

And that brings me to the crux of the matter. The NFF's response to Adokiye's column was to launch a vitriolic attack on his person, calling him different sorts of names and labelling him a treasonable conspirator to take over the Glass House.

Now, all that may well be true, but curiously, in all of those, the NFF did not address the key issues raised by Amiesimaka, except to say that the boy passed the MRI Test.

As good as the MRI test is, it can, like any other scientific method, be challenged. And FIFA's medical scientists, who developed the procedure, have been challenged by fellow medical professionals.

Professors Robert Malina of the University of Texas, and Gaston Beunen of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium have argued that the MRI cannot, as a stand-alone method, accurately determine the age of football players.

Here is a condensed brief of their conclusions:

"The paper of Dvorak et al. is based on an invalid premise – bone age or Skeletal Age (SA) as assessed from MRI of the distal radius can provide an accurate estimate of Chronological Age (CA). Though correlated, there simply is too much variation in SA within an age group to provide a valid estimate CA. Standard deviations for SA within half-year CA groups in the Fels sample of boys 12 through 16 years range from 0.94 to 1.26 years. The range of variation in SA for a given CA likely exceeds two years.

In summary, normal variation in skeletal maturation among adolescents is considerable so that CA cannot be accurately estimated from SA. Moreover, elite football players represent a highly select group who tend to be advanced in skeletal maturation which further confounds issues relative to CA and SA in the sport.

What is the answer to the question of correct age in the sport of football (and other sports)? I believe it lies in the culture of the sport itself - honesty of trainers, coaches, administrators and others associated with the sport, including parents and agents, is probably the only method! Unfortunately, talented young players are a major commodity developed for and used by the system."

The last paragraph is the key solution to this whole issue. That is, the honesty of people involved in the sport, including administrators, coaches and parents.

Unfortunately that is not a commodity that is exactly in generous supply at this time.

What I expected the NFF to do in light of Adokiye's revelations, was to launch a full scale investigation into the player's background.

Send people to where he was born, where he grew up, what schools he attended and the years. Find out if indeed he played for Sharks under Amiesimaka and what age he was at the time.

If he filled any forms during that time and what the forms say.

That would show good faith to the populace that the NFF is indeed determined to make sure that only eligible players of the right age represent Nigeria at this tournament.

Instead, what I have heard is an ad hominem attack on Amiesimaka.

As a first year engineering student taking a course in Logic And Philosphy, I learned about the principle of arguments, one of them being 'argumentum ad hominem' which attacks a person rather than the argument he is making.

One definition of ad hominem is "The argument concerning the attack of a person's character or circumstances is characterized and shown to be sometimes persuasive but normally fallacious."

Since my philosophy teacher came up with that, I have always been suspicious of people who quickly launch into such character assassinations in the face of a valid debate, and in this case, my suspicions have only been heightened by the NFF's responses.

It is very clear from the paper above that the MRI test is not a completely foolproof test. And Amiesimaka's claims further lend credence to that.

While the NFF may be embarrassed and unhappy at Adokiye's timing—and suspicious of his motivation, they still have a duty to convince the rest of us Nigerians that they are indeed doing all within their powers to give us really eligible players of the right age.

Unfortunately, their reaction has not shown that.

I was happy and proud at the performance of these lads, but that pride has been tainted by these revelations. And I know I am not alone.

It is time to do the right thing, whatever Adokiye's motivation may be.

[Mikky jaga]

Thank you Mr. Amesimaka. But please, your advice came a little too late. The horse had bolted before you are trying to lock the stable. Your advice will be looked into for the next edition.

As for your mythical u17 that are still in school or just finishing school, please check out the other teams before speaking/writing ignorantly. Many of these players play for clubsides in their countries. One of Spain's boys even plays for Barcelona!

Andrew Young said recently that Nigerians do not love Nigeria, I believe he is right. Mr. Adokiye, please, stop your rantings. FIFA is not going to select Nigeria out for special treatment. 4 people were selected randomly for test and none of them failed the test is enough for FIFA and should be enough for you if there is nothing else behind your outburst.

What I can glean from your writing is that you had some candidates that you expected to make the team (they may not be your children) that you felt were not part of the glory seeking Eaglets. While I sympathize with you, I find it terribly bad that you are not taking it as a good sportsman. Your attempt to pull the whole team down because of your failure to get your ward into the hurriedly assembled team, is to say the least, very pathetic.

You even alleged tha Nigeria had no history of youth football developments, yet many of these replacements were from the academies. As I am writing this, an U13 tournament is going on in PH, yet we do not have youth football development programme. The boys that won the maiden U16 championship were products of YSFON.

Adokiye, enough is enough of this unsolicited crying more than the bereaved.

[liloldlady]

Originally Posted by purple

Not to take away from the ongoing discussion here, I have an observation to make.

Do you think that the environment in which a person is raised can age that individual? If you go to a 5th grade class in the US which will have kids aged bw 10 & 11, and you compare their photographs with primary 5 children from Naija (ages 10 & 11), especially those at the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder, you will marvel at the physical differences.

While one group (won't tell you which one ) is likely to look more hardened, leaner, more hungry looking, some with hollow cheeks, sharp collar bones sticking out and they tend to be more aggresive in behavior, they rush over supplies, they hustle and their overall demeanour takes on a more adultish appearance.

I thought you were not going to tell us which one

The other group (keep guessing) look softer, have more filled out cheeks, look more genteel, may not be as physically aggressive, can be more passive, don't rush over supplies and sport a more overall babyish immature look.

We still can't guess

Spot the difference. The environment!!! A child who is woken up at 5am to fetch water, a child who hawks after school, a child who gets knocked on the head or whipped for infractions, a child who splits fire wood, runs adult type errands from an early age ati be be lo will look more mature, older and hardened than his pampered counter parts.

siddon dia......The Nigerian child, have more play and leisure time in Nigeria than you know Ooo. side by side....the Nigerian child is a much happier Child than his Western counterpart, so don't be too quick to rehash that so called "single story"
He has a wider circle of friends, he is miles better socialised to the point of being more emotionally situated to handle life, than his western counterpart,(ever wondered why Nigerians are less prone to have need to pop anti-depressants as adults?)
The Nigerian child is valued intrinsically, and most of all, he has stacks of loving feedback from his extended family than his rosy cheeked counterpart.

I begy I am not saying Adokiye Amiesimaka is right or wrong, just that there may be other reasons why our U17 resemble Papa Eagles

The reason could also be that they are indeed not Papa Eagles, but Grandpa eagles

[Godwin]

Originally Posted by Mikky jaga

The horse had bolted before you are trying to lock the stable. Your advice will be looked into for the next edition.

As for your mythical u17 that are still in school or just finishing school, please check out the other teams before speaking/writing ignorantly. Many of these players play for clubsides in their countries. One of Spain's boys even plays for Barcelona!

Mention the Spanish player who plays for Barcelona senior team.

The Dutch U-17 were reported to have written their school exams online in Nigeria during the ongoing championship.

Almost the entire South Korean U-17 team are currently in High school.

5 of the Japan U-17 team members are also in High School.

Bode George would have loved to have you as the Judge in his fraud case.
The same applies to all the Bank Chiefs under prosecution.

He wrote about the same things after we used an allegedly 29 year old player @ the last U-17 World cup and the player went on to play U-20 World cup this year.

http://www.punchng.com

My first article in SUNDAY PUNCH was at the end of September 2007, soon after we won the 12th edition of the tournament in South Korea. From its heading, Soul searching in Seoul, you do not have to read it to imagine what it was about. Since then, I have written not less than 15 articles on our dishonourable and counter-productive cheating habit. As early as March 9, 2008, that is 21 months ago, in my piece with the heading, We can be so good, I even detailed how the authorities could raise and nurture a credible U-17 team for this tournament. Sadly, everything fell on deaf ears. Recall also the unprintable names they called me when on February 8, 2009, in a four-part serial with the heading, Still a long way to go, I advised the sports minister on what he could do to ensure that we did not present a team that would embarrass us?

[Mikky jaga]

Adokiye or is it Godwin should get off it. Adokiye was not the only Nigerian that was concerned that we had no way of determining the accurate age of our boys. Many have expressed similar doubts over the years. The only proof of age then was Birth Certificate or International passport that we know could be doctored. That was why many of us, including NFF embraced the MRI and insisted on its being used to select players for this edition of the championship.

If the MRI test is found not to be fool proof, that will be corrected in the next edition when, hopefully better methods would have been found and deployed to check all participating teams. Age cheats are not peculiar to Nigeria. IAAF keeps on developing better methods of catching drug cheats and most of those caught are not Nigerians. All Canadian athletes are not called cheats because one Bullet Ben tested positive.

MRI is the method approved by FIFA to determine correct age of players for this championship and that is how it will remain. Maybe FIFA will require the services of Adokiye to give them some hearsay evidence for the next edition.

For now, Adokiye or Godwin, will you please keep quiet and let us enjoy superlative performances from our U17 boys.

[Godwin]

Originally Posted by Mikky jaga

Adokiye or is it Godwin should get off it. Adokiye was not the only Nigerian that was concerned that we had no way of determining the accurate age of our boys. Many have expressed similar doubts over the years. The only proof of age then was Birth Certificate or International passport that we know could be doctored. That was why many of us, including NFF embraced the MRI and insisted on its being used to select players for this edition of the championship.

If the MRI test is found not to be fool proof, that will be corrected in the next edition when, hopefully better methods would have been found and deployed to check all participating teams. Age cheats are not peculiar to Nigeria. IAAF keeps on developing better methods of catching drug cheats and most of those caught are not Nigerians. All Canadian athletes are not called cheats because one Bullet Ben tested positive.

MRI is the method approved by FIFA to determine correct age of players for this championship and that is how it will remain. Maybe FIFA will require the services of Adokiye to give them some hearsay evidence for the next edition.

For now, Adokiye or Godwin, will you please keep quiet and let us enjoy superlative performances from our U17 boys.

You have not mentioned the Spanish player playing for Barcelona Senior Team.