The Anambra state Football Association has been inaundated with calls and complaints of severe dimensions from football stakeholders all over the state and country, of the unruly, defamatory and unsportsman-ly comments and actions of Mr Iyke Igbokwe.
It has become pertinent to address the issue of Igbokwe due to the negative and debilitating effect his overall conducts have on the football psyche of the state and nation. From various sports WhatsApp platforms to general football commentaries on and beyond the social media,; from the pitches and around the stadiums, the complaints have been coming in torrents and it is time for decisive actions to halt the negative trend.
Many stakeholders have counselled Igbokwe on his nefarious attitudes but like the proverbial fly which follows the corpse to the grave, he has refused to listen and the situation unfortunately, is getting worse. As the custodians of football in the state, the FA under my watch, can no longer sit and watch the self-styled “Torchlight of Nigerian Football” turn our football into Darkness.
The Anambra FA in a most proactive step has directed its disciplinary committee, to invite Igbokwe before it, to substantiate allegations made against its Acting Secretary, Mr Ralph Nweke.
It is pertinent to note that the accusations made by Igbokwe against the AG. Secretary are not only spurious but unfounding.
It is also clear that the Igbokwe does not understand the difference between the requirements of sponsorship and partnership in football administration.
Using the Anambra state All Stars Football Championship as a test case, we state clearly that the FA has always opened its doors for investors to support football development in the state.
The unquantified successes recorded n sports development in the state could not had been possible without the active involvement of both government and private interests.
The championship sponsored by renowned Pharmaceutical Company, MANFES is a welcome development. But to deranged minds like Igbokwe, misconceptions on sponsorship and partnership can only be a tool for abuse and misrepresentation of facts.
The MANFES pharmaceuticals is not sponsoring the championship but partnering with the FA to see to its fruition.
In partnership, the company is providing logistics for the championship while the FA is providing the administrative impetus and enabling environment for the championship.
It is pertinent to note that MANFES only released money to Anambra FA for the Prize monies,Venue, Match officials Indemnities and medicals.
This will shock many which is contrary to the perfidy, Igbokwe is peddling.
Sponsorship entails that the sponsor foots the whole bill incurred in competitions with necessary accruals to the FA.
This was not the case in the MANFES situation. The Anambra FA has transparency discharged its activities and accountability has been out watchword.
Iyke Igbokwe is a neophyte Nigerian football. He is neither a football administrator, ex-international, sports writers among other facets of the game in the country.
He has only used the negative tendencies of the social media, to attack, assault and malign all sectors of the nation’s football. The question every discerning mind will ask is: Who is Iyke Igbokwe that the Anambra FA will account its monetary proceedings or transactions to.
His hateful and megalomaniac attacks on the Nigeria Football Federation amiably led by Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau have not gone unnoticed.
Tempers have been flaring on Igbokwe’s unwarranted abuses on the Glass House, sports administrators, journalists among others on the social media among other avenues.
These unwarranted attacks have to stop. We can no longer allow this debilitating influence as he used it to ruin defunct Gabros FC of Nnewi when he was its opportunist General Manager.
We are aware of his dementive tendencies. His drug addictive acts, his penchants to deceitfully solicit funds from sports administrators.
When you fail to give him, he will turn his assaulting arsenal on you. Few months ago, he went to Abakaliki, Ebonyi to cover a football match on his own volition. After the match, he besieged the Chairman of Ebonyi FA, Chief Obinna Ogba for financial assistance.
He was not invited by Ogba but he choose the occasion to attack the Former NFF Vice President. Yours sincerely had to bail him with N30,000 in order not to be stuck perpetually in Abakaliki.
No person is above decorum in the football fraternity. An no one should be allowed to continue bringing it into disrepute.
“General” Chikelue Iloenyosi
Chairman Anambra FA
