THE Mediterranean Knights of Libya and their authori-les recently put up some cowardly and ungentlemanly show against the Super tagles of Nigeria and their handlers. Beyond being utterly cowardly and shame-less, these unworthy knights were also so bad at telling
lies and covering them. It actually looks like they were either too bad at these or they just didn›t care how you or anyone else felt about them. Some say that’s their usual way… and I say what a way for so-called ‘knights’! At best, they proved without equivocation that they were knights who had been thoroughly debased at the football battlefield. They know how much of their dignity is left in the tatters which they are holding, and they know they are indeed in a very bad footballing situation.
Therefore, to save face, and retain the rags of dignity left, they had to scheme how best to cut corners. They then hatched a plan, and executed the mischievous plan against Nigeria and its team: The Super Eagles.
The very day these Libyans arrived in Nigeria, a popular sports journalist in Ibadan, Oyo State said he noted some awkwardness in the travel plans of the Mediterranean Knights and their en-tourage. The next morning in his radio programme he wondered why “these people have come again with their shenanigans.” The Libyans had landed in Port Harcourt against the plan by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) that they should fly straight to Uyo, the venue of their African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against the Super Eagles. While the NFF battled with sudden arrangements to straighten things out in Port Harcourt and get them to Uyo in comfort and in the best possible way, they were busy acting out their script. While they acted, they took photos and made videos with which they had planned to blackmail Nigeria. It was obvious from their actions that, before they left their country, they had planned to go this route and blame it and its consequences on Nigeria.
These Libyans said we dragged them through rough, unlit and dangerous lonely roads. They are right because, indeed, our roads are bad, unlit, dangerous and sometimes lonely. But that is how our roads are all around the country, and we use them like that. However, we do not put our VIPs on those roads if we can. Those roads were not meant for the Libyan delegation nor are they meant for any of our own VIPs and other important visitors. These categories of people usually fly.
The Libyans were supposed to fly directly to Uyo. Why did the visiting Libyans not fly to Uyo? The Nigerian football fraternity knows that the NFF might do many things wrong, but they take care of visiting teams.
One of the joys of it all is that the Nigerian Super Eagles have remained unfazed about it all. They have taken the show of shame by the Libyan knights as one bad day at work, and have taken it in their strides. After all, NFF knew beforehand that they were in a funny game with some defeated, angry knights. It is easy for the Libyans to smear Nigeria with unsubstantiated allegations via the social media because we have found ourselves in the same football qualifying group with them. Libya is like this: A man with whom I was planning a hunting expedition has turned around to tell how my legs resemble those of his favourite game…
On the other hand, the Libyans are still acting just like the wife who was late from an illegal business, but chose to return home with a brazen assurance. The captain of the Mediterranean Knights, Faisal Al Badri told their story after the matter went viral and turned a mess in their hands. In all that he said about their ordeal, he never mentioned a name of any Nigerian official involved in their matter. Were they working alone while here?
Who was with the official assigned to them while they were here? What were his roles? He also said it was not the first time they were received and treated badly, but he did not mention who did, when and why.
A post attributed to Al-Badri on the social media said: “So we do not always have to show a tolerant face if necessary to deter these things from happening again. We have been suffering from these things for many years and we have no problem tolerating that, but how long will the Libyan clubs and national team be treated like this? A solution must be found for this problem. We also demand that the competent authorities look into these actions and that reciprocity be done.”
The Libyan FA secretary, Nasser Al-Suwaie, according to reports, has raised queries on the integrity of the personnel of CAF. In a report published in the online version of Libyaalahrar.tv, Al-Suwaie allegedly said there might be collusion from some parties within CAF, but that the position of the Libyan Federation is strong.
The reports added that the Libyan Federation did not change the course of Nigeria’s plane that made it to begin another journey to Al-Abraq Airport, “and the reason for changing the plane’s landing to Al-Abraq was a decision by the Libyan state, and that the sovereignty of the Libyan state must be respected by everyone.” The LFF secretary, “however was silent on why the team was held hostage at the Al Abraq Airport and why the Libyan FA did not provide any logistic support to the Nigerian team that was held up at the airport for more than 16 hours without food and water.” Well, to add verve to these claims, the Libyans have said they would go to court. Let the world get to hear their excuses.
However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) must be wary of this matter. It is one that would create a new course for the organisation and its leaders.
There is so much to infer from the various statements put out by the representatives of Libya about the show of shame the world saw in the country’s Derna District. The detention of the Nigerian delegation at the Al-Abraq airport in the town of not more than 10,000 people shows how lowly the Libyans regard their visitors. Former African champions, Enyimba of Aba, and Rivers United of Port Harcourt are some of the Nigerian clubs which have stories to tell about what the Libyans want done about being good hosts.
NFF has lodged official complaints to our football lords in CAF.
Nigeria lodged two formal complaints: First is that the aircraft carrying the Nigerian team and delegation was suddenly denied landing at Benghazi as earlier approved by civil aviation authorities of the country. This questionable and dangerous act needs full CAF inquest, the position of the Libyan State notwithstanding.
Secondly, the NFF also complained to CAF that the delegation including the players was detained at the airport for about 20 hours. To the second complaint, the Libyans have not said anything yet. The petition by Nigeria has prompted the African football governing body to query the Libyan Football Federa-tion. The CAF disciplinary committee is to meet next week to decide on this matter and they have given Libya up till Sunday to respond to their query.
CAF must realise that Libya through their football federation, LFF is only pointing fingers. And, interestingly they are pointing just one finger while the other four are pointing backwards at them. That country is behaving like the neighbour Gentleman Mike Ejeagha sang about in Onye Ndidi n’eri Azu Ukpo. Libya is the proverbial neighbour with whom Nigeria had planned to exorcise ghosts, but who has accused Nigeria of smelling like a ghost! Onye m si ka mu na ya chuo mmuo si zi na m na-esi mmuo-mmuo.
CAF and NFF should beware of Libya.
