The league attracts huge followership in the 80s and early 90s perhaps because the modernisation we have now was not there then. Internet and cable television were not in vogue. It was even difficult to monitor Nigerian players abroad. Players come to Nigeria at that time to make claims and there were no means to cross check such claims.

Also then, the league was on television with a review package every night by the sponsors. For so many years, Nigerian league was not on television. Only two years ago, the league came back on television with a contract signed with multichoice, owners of Dstv. Sad enough; this has not taken the fans back to the stadium because many Nigerians do not have Dstv.

The Nigerian Premier League has been running the league courtesy of the sponsorship package of telecoms outfit, Globacom. The contract incidentally ends this term and the sponsors have pulled out of the deal. In a few weeks, the election of the NPL will hold to usher in a new board to run the Nigerian league.

It is crucial to put some vital issues in perspectives before the election. Today, club owners are running the league and they are doing so to achieve set targets for themselves. I hereby advocate change of the statute of the NPL that gives club owners the mandate to run the league. When these people come in as club owners and they lose their seats on the board of the clubs, they still maintain their places on the board of NPL. Their affiliation to the teams makes them judges in their own affairs.

State governments own most of the clubs and any change in government might also lead to change in club leadership. What then happens to those already on board from that platform as club owners? It is however a dicey affair because those who are supposed to change the enabling laws are the current board members who are benefiting from the anomaly.

Till date, I still find it hard to believe that the 9-0 victory Zamfara recorded over Kaduna United stood while the 13-0 win Akwa United recorded over Calabar Rovers also stood. Things like these can only happen with a management that consists of umpires who are in charge of their own affairs. A management with independent people of integrity will never endorse scandalous result that smells corruption.

Again, the players are suffering. No good welfare package, no salaries, signing-on fees are not duly paid while bad pitches still host games in the country.

Since the election of the NPL is holding next year, this is the right time for the body to turn a new leaf in all aspect. The body should get serious by allowing the electoral committee to do an independent job. The committee named two weeks ago has credible Nigerians who can save our domestic football. Any club owner interested in gunning for NPL position should resign well before the election. The committee should examine the role of club owners in the running of our football.

If this committee gives us a credible board, getting a new sponsor will not be a problem and I also believe strongly that the fans can return to league stadia with good management.

NPL can facilitate deals between former players and some clubs. Former Eagles skipper, Austin Okocha, could return to the league not for the money but to help develop the game in the country. Garba Lawal is playing for Lobi Stars and Rashidi Yekini returned to the local scene after his retirement from European club football.

Fans can return to the stadia with proper planning and deliberate effort of the NPL board to woo them back. Our football deserves good packaging both at domestic and international levels.