You Can Defend Pinnick, But You Cannot Rewrite History

By Arábìnrin Adérónke MNIPR, LSE, FICA

Fred Edoreh appears to have completely missed the point of my open letter. My letter was not about Amaju Pinnick’s private businesses, his foundation, his international relationships or how comfortable his life may be today, and how is that anyone’s business? It was about Nigerian football, its current crisis and the consequences of leadership decisions. I have spent almost two decades engaging with football stakeholders, so I understand the terrain and why I raised those concerns.

Fred can write a long defence of Pinnick, but an article does not erase facts. People are already taking responsibility and stepping aside from roles within football administration as of today, while the government has taken necessary and expected steps following the concerns raised. My letter reached the office it was intended for, including the Chief of Staff to the President, and the matter is now where it belongs: with the appropriate authorities.

Let me also correct one thing: I did not write my letter to revive Fred Edoreh’s career, nor did I write it for attention. If anything, his decision to make me the subject of his article only proves how uncomfortable people like him are with the questions I raised. If he disagrees with my facts, he should provide facts to counter them rather than attempt to attack the person asking the questions or mention my name. Nigerian football is too important for personality politics.

As for Pinnick, whether he wants to return to football administration or not is beside the point. My position remains that he should not be brought back into Nigerian football administration as my argument reflects on the failures, controversies and institutional damage that, in my view, characterised his tenure and contributed to the situation Nigerian football finds itself in today.

The real issue is the future of Nigerian football. We need a clean break from the culture of personal glory, self-aggrandisement and institutional dysfunction. We need leadership that puts the national interest first, strengthens our domestic football, develops young players, improves administration and restores confidence in the game. I will continue to speak whenever I believe the national interest demands it, regardless of whose toes it steps on.

Fred has had his say; as the usual Pinnick’s errand boy, I learned he is in the same age bracket as Pinnick. But attacking me will not erase the concerns I raised, and writing an article and mentioning my name will not change the course of events already unfolding. My open letter has achieved what it was intended to achieve: it brought attention to an issue I believe required urgent attention. I stand by every legitimate concern I raised. Nigerian football is bigger than Amaju Pinnick and me. We do not want him around football administration ever again. Comedy business is still lucrative. Facts speak.

Arábìnrin Adérónke, MNIPR, LSE, FICA, is a former sports editor, author, and policy analyst. 2014 Laureate, Wole Soyinka Investigative Journalism Laureate; 2016 Finalist, CNN African Journalist Award. She writes from Abuja