With nearly all sectors of the economy involved in one work-to-rule or the other since the beginning of this year, 2013 may well go down in history as “The Year of The Strikes” in Nigeria. For four months now, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have been on strike, reminiscent of the time under military rule.
Resident doctors also went on strike over government’s failure to fulfill its obligations to them, to mention just two instances of the major strikes in the country this year.
There are many others and to cap it all, it has been reported in some quarters that some police formations in the country are threatening to call a strike over welfare-related issues! Some Nigerian Police men in the Eastern part of Nigeria threatned to go on strike for their deployment to Borno, Maiduguri and other Boko Haram strongholds.
Even few days ago, electricity workers also threatened to go on strike (as if they are not on strike every time).
This brings us to the man, Stephen Keshi.
After winning the nations cup as a player with the national team and having a playing career mostly with Belgian clubs, Keshi went to the United States to be educated in coaching.
In 1996 he was joined by Augustine Eguavoen, who once coached the Nigerian national team. They played together in California as the backbone of the defence for the short-lived Sacramento Scorpions. Keshi has been a part of the coaching staff for the Nigerian national team, most notably as head coach for the Junior Eagles at the 2001 African Youth Championship.
Between 2004 and 2006 Keshi coached the Togo national football team, unexpectedly bringing them to their first World Cup tournament, Germany 2006. Having secured Togo's unlikely qualification, he was promptly replaced by German coach Otto Pfister prior to the World Cup finals, after Togo showed a dismal performance and failed to advance to the knock-out stage in 2006 African Cup of Nations in Egypt.
However, Pfister did not last beyond a controversial World Cup campaign that nearly resulted in a player's strike over pay and Togo remained without a manager until February 2007 when they re-engaged Keshi in time for a friendly against Cameroon.
He worked as manager of the Mali national football team, after being appointed in April 2008 on a two-year deal.
Keshi became coach of the Nigerian National Team in 2011. Unlike the past coaches, he integrated many local based players into the Super Eagles team, Reason why we have a certain Oboabuna who was a Sunshine stars player edge out Joseph Yobo. Players like Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Osaze Odemwingie, Obafemi Martins were replaced by Emmanuel Emenike, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, Ideye etc. And his experiment worked as he led Nigeria to qualification for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, which they went on to win, defeating Burkina Faso 1–0 in the final. The following day Keshi handed in his resignation, as he wanted to take a bow when the ovation was loudest, but some persuasions by the "Ogas at the top" made him to reverse his decision the day after.
Keshi led Nigeria to the 2013 Confederations Cup. On 17 June 2013, the first time Nigeria appeared in the competition after so many years, he also ended the AFCON trophy drought. The last time Nigeria won the African Cup of Nations trophy before this year was in 1994. And for almost 20 years the Nigerian football association employed various foreign coaches, who failed to win the continents biggest crown. Just recently the Keshi led home-based eagles qualified for CHAN for the first time, yet another notable achievement, and many will agree with me that we are all but in the 2014 world cup already, thanks to this man, and the fantastic team he built.
It's also notable to know that Keshi is one of the only two Afican players who have won the African nations cup as a player and a coach.
Then why should he be treated this way? recently he lamented the fact that he had not been payed his salary for 7 months.
In his words...
NFA is owing me up to seven months makes me feel I am not being appreciated. It is like they (my employers) think I am being favoured in what I am doing.My findings revealed that a member of the NFA said that hat the allowances and bonuses the team’s coaches earn were enough to sustain them, so they do not need salaries? Now this baffles me? why is somebody not in jail yet? Keshi signed a contract, and NFA agreed to pay him salaries, then fast-foward into October 2013, the man has not been paid for 7 months. Is it until Keshi starts carrying placards? or maybe he goes on strike, that his salary is going to be paid again? or do we need to shut down the whole Super Eagles too, before the right thing is done.
I am not being favoured. Whatever I am doing here, I am doing it with everything I have and I need to be respected and be paid — Keshi
“The lowest point of my career is working and not being paid for seven to eight months. I have never had this kind of experience before,” he said.
The former Super Eagles captain recalled that he was never owed his salaries when he worked with the Malian and Togolese football federations as coach of their senior national teams.
“In Mali, they will never owe you. Your salary will hit your account before the end of every month. It was the same thing in Togo.
“Owing me up to seven months makes me feel I am not being appreciated. It is like they (my employers) think I am being favoured in what I am doing.
“I am not being favoured. Whatever I am doing here, I am doing it with everything I have and I need to be respected to be given my pay,” Keshi said.
He said it was unbelievable that he and his colleagues had worked without pay for about eight months out of the 24 months they have worked with the Super Eagles.
“I don’t like discussing about money issues and if there is any NFA member who said we can work for free, then I will want to speak with him face to face.
“If they say we can work for free and that they are not going to pay, so be it.
“I can’t have my family abroad and I will be in debt because I have not been paid for seven months and somebody is saying we should not complain,” the coach said.
If he wasnt owed salaries in Togo and Mali, why is Nigeria doing this to him? his country! his people!!.
This is a man who brought smiles into millions of soccer loving Nigerians again, when he won that AFCON trophy, this is a man that already has a leg in Brazil 2014 World cup.
Why should a man work so hard then have to beg for his salary?
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This is too bad, what is realy wrong with our country people? Why can't we just do the right thing? Why are we so wicked to our feloww human? Remeber God is whaching you All you OGA at the TOP.
ReplyDeleteThey will not listen neither will they repent.
ReplyDeleteWho are all this so called"Oga at d top"in the expense of our Nation,there are reason many Nigerian developed high blood pressure when you continue to read or listen to news that bored your mind oftenly,where is the so called political robber Minister of sport,the heartless NFF chairthieves or whatever,and all the so called football administrator???let them go and muster for us till their cups Overful by 2015,then they'll realise the wraft they've bought for themselves with their own hand
ReplyDeletevery bad people in our govt. is it a forbiden tin to do exactly what is right. owing somebody a month salary is bad let alone 8months. may God help Nigeria
ReplyDeletePls, Mr President, do something fast about this embarrassing situation. The idiots at our football house tried this when Westerhorf was preparing for the 1994 world cup. Then Aikhomu, then vice president took charge of all monetary issues concerning the Eagles and welfare. Pls, NFF should hand off from all money issues concerning the coach and eagles. No body should mess with the coach or players of all the national teams, because they are the only people that are real patriotic citizens NOT Politicians! We may start the REVOLUTION if the only thing (football) that remind us all that we are all brothers in this Country- is trifle with!
ReplyDeleteLet keshi gives a condition, no salary, no 2nd leg nigeria vs ethopia. This is the only way the nff will facilitate his salary.
ReplyDeleteThese people at the top will not hear until we arise and fight them. Speakers collect their sitting allowances while president also collects his traveling allowance but why are they treating us (civil servants and other citizen) like this. Nigerian, arise and fight these corrupters (politician).
ReplyDeleteWHAT THEY WANT IS FOREIGN COACH THAT WILL CHARGE #1.5BILLION MOTHLY AND THEY'LL GET 50%.THEY'D WANTED HIM FAIL.NEVER THOUGHT HE WOULD FAIL SO THEY'LL HAV REASON TO GET A FOREIGN COACH
ReplyDelete