OUR HOPE, OUR PRIDE. WHO WANTS AKWA UNITED FC DEAD?
  
The game of football is indeed characterized with some element of luck. Sometimes good luck and most times bad luck. The atmosphere in Nigeria Premier League today seems explicit. Any team that eventually wins the league may have to thank God, not because it has played well, perhaps, it is by the mercy of the NFL and referees. That Enyimba which have all the indices of football politics in Nigeria and Africa to record two home loses is no longer news. But what does this mean? Are they out of favours from referees and the big wigs at Abuja?

The obvious is that before a team beat Enyimba or even scores at Aba Stadium, it takes God's divine grace. But today, they have lost twice. Are they in the black books of the referees and NFL? The reason for this question is that, it is only in Nigeria league that every element is employed against Akwa United, right from its advent into the league two seasons ago. Everything was done last season to get the team relegated, but by divine intervention, Akwa escaped it. It seems the enemies are up again to bring the team to the position of dishonour. The match officials, NFL and even our neighbours are not helping matters. So what have Akwa really done to deserve this great "Gang up?”

This is a team whose management has made tremendous efforts to build bridges between administrators, clubs and referees, in order to maintain the burning passion of the game. From North to South, East to West, Nigeria Premier League seems to be an instrument of hatred and discord rather than promoting passion and unity. The reports of O. O. Oyodinna and Solomon Bashunwa, all from Lagos Council, who handled Akwa/Pillars and Akwa/Bayelsa duels in Calabar indicted the Uyo based team and consequently banished them to Kaduna.It is unfortunate that, in Nigeria League a referee overwhelmingly celebrated a goal scored by a team. Solomon Bashunwa was ecstatically in celebration when Bayelsa United scored equalizer against Akwa United. It was a clear indication pre planned and well executed game. Again, in six consecutive matches, Lagos referees have been appointed to handled Akwa matches, and all did in accordance with their plans. But what have these officials really gained from those ill-founded reports and biased officiating? Come to think of it. How possible was it for Akwa to attack Oyodinna,even at the presence of Governor Godswill Akpabio and under a tight security?

More so, what baffled me was the role played by my professional colleagues in Supersports, who claimed denial of coverage which led to the N2M fine. If the chairman of Bayelsa United, Mr. Affinih, recognized me as official of Akwa, perhaps, he would not have disclosed the ill-planned intentions against Akwa. He had succeeded in his plans,in connivance with Supersports to fine Akwa N2M, but failed to secure maximum points as he boasted. Both the fine and banishment are now history. It was in line with the plans and expectations of the NFL. Sometimes, one ponders about most of the decisions taken by NFL and begins to ask questions. Even the Nigerian constitution makes provisions for fair hearing. But in the case of NFL, the reverse is always obtainable, especially in matters concerning Akwa United. Issues on Akwa are treated with urgency and decisions taken without the basic constitutional provisions.

So where then is the place of constitution? It is only in Nigeria that, one wakes up to read in pages of papers that decisions were taken against teams without hearing from all the parties involved. This barbaric attitude has oiled the wheels of favoritisms and marginalization. A team which is supposed to win the league is not actually the winner. The eventual winner seems to be abetted. This of course, played adverse effect on continental championships and even on our national teams. I still subscribe to all the testimonies made by some of the officials of other teams that Akwa United have good players and are one of the strong teams. And if these testimonies are any thing to go by, let the match officials give Akwa fair treatment and not using sledge hammer to kill innocent.