With Nigeria making up the numbers in the archery global ranking, the sport is fast becoming more popular for the wrong reasons, writes David Meshioye.

For the archery community in Nigeria today, the stakes have never been higher. As far as anyone can remember, archery currently occupies the rock-bottom spot in the pecking order of popular sports in the country. This is because the sport has continued to punch below its weight for decades in its quest to gain more popularity among Nigerians. Rather, it is the lingering administrative crisis tearing at the ramparts of a sport tipped to position Nigeria at the pinnacle of Olympic success that is drawing the attention of many.

The federation is in a state of ‘civil war’, which had its foundation in the last election, coupled with a series of allegations ranging from the monopoly of power, financial mismanagement, and poor leadership. The phone tapping, name-calling, and campaign of calumny among archery stakeholders can be summed up as a soap opera capable of tearing the federation from the top to the middle. Today, the federation runs a divided house, and even the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and World Archery Federation (WA) have lost the plot of the federation’s internal strife.

According to the federation president, Mohammed Baba Abdullahi, archery in Nigeria was heading for the gallows before he took over the mantle of leadership, hence the need for a fresh start. For a time, his words were heeded. Archery was introduced into several states in southwest and northern Nigeria, a vacuum that had existed for two decades under the watchful eyes of Coach Boluji Olugbenga.

Abdullahi said the call for reform and his determination that Nigeria’s archery federation must be rebuilt in his vision have been the core of the problem.

”There was no single archery club in 2016 when it became known as the Lagos State Archery Association. I told the secretary, Mr. Boluji Olugbenga, that it was unheard of not to have a state association for 20 years. We then created associations in Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Plateau, Kaduna, and Gombe.

”What is happening now is a coup where Coach Gbenga and two other guys called for the annulment of the last election held in Abuja last March, and that won’t be possible.

”The world body got tired of the whole matter because it was clear that World Archery was backing the opposition blindly. I asked WA what their interests were in the administration of Nigerian archery because the election was supervised by the NOC and Sports Ministry.

The coup was that the secretary wanted the election held in Lagos, but the stakeholders kicked against it. The scribe and two other guys boycotted the election, with Lagos and Ogun backing out, while Oyo and Ondo State attended,” Abdullahi exclusively told The Guardian.

But Coach Gbenga vehemently debunked Abdullahi’s claims that his nine years in office have reflected his modernising vision for archery in Nigeria. The longest-serving gaffer in the federation hinted that the president’s insistence on taking the sport away from government interference has set archery back nine steps as sponsors withdraw.

The former secretary described the last election as a mere kangaroo process that was not recognized by WA, claiming that Abdullahi had gathered his Abuja friends to act as delegates and participate in the election. And Gbenga, who has given 20 years to archery, never forgave him. Such are the reasons why Coach Gbenga and Abdullahi are on a collision course—an intrigue that has prompted bitter and unsavoury squabbles between leading members of the archery stakeholders.

”Abdullahi couldn’t help archery after nine years in power,” begins Gbenga. “In those nine years, archery was not recognized as one of the accredited sports for the National Festival. Being an Olympic sport, archery should be included in our national sports festival. Five nations started archery in Africa, but today, Benin Republic has gone ahead of Nigeria in the global ranking.

”Abdullahi said he doesn’t want government involvement because he feels the government would impose its candidate.

”The election was a kangaroo process. He gathered his friends based in Abuja to participate as delegates in that election, which is unacceptable. WA annulled the election because they found out that those who participated were not members. Only three members of archery participated in the election,” Coach Gbenga told The Guardian on Wednesday.

But Abdullahi told The Guardian that his dreams of having archery registered under the Sports Ministry went up in flames after the country’s sports governing body confessed that it was groaning under the heavy weight of bankrolling too many sports and that the archery federation should get sponsors and partner with the ministry.

”The truth is that we approached the Sports Ministry, but we were told the ministry is already bankrolling too many sports and that archery, as a new sport, would have to find its sponsors and partner with the ministry.

”For those complaining that I have overstayed my tenure, let me make it clear that there is no limit to tenure or age as president of the archery federation, and it is clearly stated in our constitution,” Abdullahi exclusively told The Guardian.

With the next meeting set for March 10 in Abuja, it is hoped that all warring factions will sheath their swords and seek an amicable solution to the crisis before things turn uglier. Already, the NAFED constitution, which states that the Board of Patrons oversees the reconstitution of the federation, has been ignored, while calls for an independent audit have not been heeded. At this juncture, the future of archery hangs in the balance because a house divided against itself cannot stand.