Without any doubt, my sportsman of the year is nobody else but Barrister Gimba, the former sports minister.

One, for courageously (even without any known sports background) being able to open the eyes of Nigerian sports followers and the government to see that all the hosting of international tournaments and ‘winning’ of several World Cups all these years rather than develop our sports have only developed the bank accounts of the sports mafia. Because, true sports development that is supposed to begin at home – the grassroot – is non- obviously existent.

Secondly, for succeeding in setting in motion the activities that eventually led to the dismantling of the mafia that has held down the nation’s sports development for some two decades now and in the process sacrificing his plumb ministerial job.

Believe me, whenever the history of true sports development in Nigeria is written, Gimba’s name will be written in letters of gold and diamond.

Of course, that the nation’s entire sports has completely deteriorated rather than develop under a two-time director of sports development, director-general, FIFA/CAF Executive member, president WAFU (all rolled into one) is certainly not in dispute. And the cheer-leaders or the media arm of the sports mafia employed overtime to achieve that gross under-development are also very well-known.

One can therefore understand the shameless clowning and rationalization coming from the usual quarters to the effect that "re-deployment is civil service routine.’ If it were so, why was the "routine" conveniently forgotten in the cooler for some two decades now?

And if anyone is still surprised at the level of jubilation by many sports enthusiasts across the country at the recent "routine re-deployment" at the National Sports Commission, then such person doesn’t appreciate the (long-awaited) liberation of Nigerian sports from the civil service sports mafia.

In fact, many people are beginning to question and wonder what criteria exactly qualify people for FIFA/CAF Executive membership. Is it the obvious under-development of the country’s soccer where most soccer fans (including even the soccer authorities) are now fanatical backers of foreign soccer?

Because, if FIFA is said and known to frown (over the years) at government interference in the administration of soccer, worldwide, how is it that (in Nigeria) government has even gone beyond interference. The country’s only FIFA Executive member is actually a civil servant working under government. Not only that. Trust Nigerians to beat even the devil even at its own game. Even the Football Federation chairman and his Secretary General are also serving civil servants.

Any wonder the whole of the country’s soccer is still so amateurish and unattractive?

That laughable situation can be likened to this story told of a thief-catching machine invented in Japan. The few remaining Japanese petty thieves, of course, totally gave up stealing even before the official launching.

The machine was then taken to the US for test-running and in 30 minutes caught 10 thieves. In 40 minutes in England, it caught 25 thieves. Within 20 minutes in Ghana and Italy, it caught 56 thieves. In Canada (in 50 minutes) it caught 5 and so on and so forth in several countries.

When the machine got to Nigeria for test-running, in 5 minutes, the machine had been stolen.

That is how legendary Nigerians’ ingenuity for negativity is world-wide. But on a more serious note, I think the time has come to stop all the deceit, gold-digging and media-packaged hype of the last two decades that went on in the name of sports management. So that the struggle and sacrifice of people like Gimba will not be in vain.