It has been a packed week for Nigerian football, an unmissable one that had so many twists like a plot of a well thought and scripted series. Everything seemed to have followed a chronological pattern, and in a way they weren't devoid of shocks and amazement.
That is the hallmark of Nigerian football, what might be an anomaly elsewhere, well, is a norm in this part of the divide.
The news reel was flowing like a concurrent stream, and it seemed that you will miss out on the news if you as much bate an eyelid.
All happening in a week, and the whole episodes of it were interesting to behold how they panned out.
Just like in a series, some of the outcomes of what happened in Nigerian football were fairly predictable, well,some weren't; all the characteristics of what embodies a series.
In a way they were exciting, but what didn't miss out was the intrigues generated from all the furore.
So,we have tried to chronicle all the top points and events that happened in Nigerian football in the past seven days.
FIFA Ban:
Which better way to start the week than the threat of a possible ban by world football governing body, FIFA.
Reports filtered in last week Sunday, that FIFA got so angry with Nigeria that they almost wielded the axe on the country, with Nigeria's saving grace being the intervention of CAF president Issa Hayatou.
Hayatou reasoned with FIFA that it wouldn't have been a great spectacle for the continent had the Super Falcons been prevented to play the finals of the African Women's Championship, because of a ban.
Irked by the fact that the Chris Giwa led faction obtained a court injunction to sack the NFF board, led by Amaju Pinnick, FIFA wanted to immediately invoke the ban but reneged after so many pleas.
FIFA gave Nigeria until Monday to sort the issue, needless to say that the ban did not come, apparently because a truce was finally reached between the warring factions.
President Goodluck Jonathan's intervention:
Maybe Nigeria would have been banned if President Jonathan did not reach out to all the parties that had a conflict of interest in the NFF.
Even the Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo tried to foster peace but he constantly met a firm rebuttal from both camps after series of meetings he had with them this past week.
However the end to the crisis came, when President Jonathan waded in and implored Giwa to withdraw his court case against the NFF, not until this happened before peace came.
Jonathan equally had a private meeting with Pinnick in Abuja where they brainstormed on the issues bothering Nigerian football, and it was in that meeting that the biggest news this week came from(Keshi).
Super Falcons met with President Jonathan:
Perhaps a departure from the crises rocking Nigeria football, the victorious Nigerian ladies who triumphed at the African Women's Championship(AWC) met with Jonathan in Abuja.
There wasn't the usual cash-flow, at least not yet, but the team got an assurance from the presidency that they will be duly hosted on November, 7.
And it is in the second hosting that Jonathan is expected to announce his cash reward to the team.
However, something to take away from the first hosting the Super Falcons got was the comment of the president, who noted that the Super Eagles are lagging behind their female counterparts, because of the lingering crises in Nigerian football.
Stephen Keshi's return:
No doubt the biggest of all the news to filter in this week, many ears tingled when it emerged that Keshi is on a second missionary journey back with Nigeria.
Barely two weeks after he was cast aside by the NFF, superior orders ensured that Keshi was brought back to manage the Super Eagles.
It has rarely happened any where else, but this is Nigeria, a land of surprises where so many things happen.
Reports have it that the order to restore Keshi came from the presidency, and Keshi himself confirmed it with his comments afterwards.
" The number one citizen of the Country intervened, I wouldn’t want to speak about anything else.I’m grateful to the President that he had time to even think about me and the Eagles job and I’m equally grateful to the Federal Government” Keshi was quoted as saying.
"The problem with the team is we don’t have faith or believe in the team and we don’t see anything good about It. If we don’t show support to them how do you expect them to function well?” Keshi added.
It still sounds surreal that Keshi is back, not after the NFF felt they had seen the last of him.
Perhaps Amodu Shaibu puts it succinctly, "Keshi should be allowed to finish what he started." (2015 African Nations Cup qualifiers).
Ikechukwu Uche is back:
Another big highlight of the week, the return of Ikechukwu Uche to the Super Eagles national team.
The Villarreal striker last played for Nigeria at that triumphant night in Johannesburg when Nigeria lifted the 2013 African Nations Cup title.
Even his fine form in the Spanish La Liga within that period was not enough to earn him a call-up to the national team.
While his animosity with Keshi lingered and the coach swore that he was never going to play for him, many Nigerians clamoured for his return.
And Keshi on his first assignment upon returning as Super Eagles coach, handed Uche a call-up in the 25-man list released for the upcoming qualifiers against Congo and South Africa.
The popular notion was that Uche would only play for Nigeria,if Keshi was no longer the coach.
Their disagreement got to a point that it looked almost impossible that they will make up.
But happening when Keshi was still coach, made it a little bit surprising. You can be sure that all these might not happen in one week elsewhere, but it doesn't totally look alien to Nigerians that it is happening within their territory.
Nigerian football and controversies are fast becoming like Siamese twins, inseparable, and at best interwoven.
Be rest assured that the coming week would be competing with the past one on which will out-do the other.
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