“I have always fought for justice since, a long time ago. I just want football, sports to be purified.” Choice words from Amobi Ezeaku, the Nigerian sports administrator who wants to make the game clean at home.
Looking at Amobis’s life and work demonstrates his believe in the mission to help football in his home country, Nigeria.
Amobi Ezeaku: Helping The Helpless Nigerian League Players
Recently, he earned a rare victory for Akpan Bassey, a goalkeeper in the Nigerian league after he was wrongly dismissed and owed wages by his club, Kano Pillars.
An 11.8 million naira compensation for all the pain masked the difficult road to achieving a win for players based in Nigeria.
The case took a total of seven months for Amobi Ezeaku to pursue justice for the former U17 goalkeeper.
Before now, only foreign players are able to earn such win as FIFA provides a strong system. The local players are left to the mercy of a committee meant to be setup by the local federation.
In the last four years Nigeria didn’t have one, leaving players at the mercy of administrators to survive.
“What we do on our own is that for some local players who have these issues, who can’t access justice. we take it up for them, go to the federation, insist that the matter must be heard. We push till we get justice.”
Amobi Ezeaku wants to clear the Augean stable and has taken the important step by signing up and getting picked by FIFA as a pro-bono lawyer for players.
The former team manager of Enugu Rangers, holds a FIFA master degree in administration and is also UEFA degree holder.
“The role is important with respect to indigent players as well as coaches. Especially those whose matter are of international dimension, any matter that can come before the FIFA tribunal. They will look at the list and pick one of the pro-bono counsel who will do the representation”.