Renowned sports administrator and veteran journalist, Bisi Lawrence a.k.a. Biz Law has welcomed the change at the Confederation of African Football, where 57-year old Ahmad emerged the new President, saying, “life is transient.”
Lawrence who was once a member of the defunct Nigeria Football Association said the ousted CAF President did not prepare to leave even when it became clear that the continental body required change.
''He should have taken a walk,” Lawrence said, regretting that Hayatou who rode on the crest of “tremendous goodwill” before he was crowned CAF President would allow himself to be shoved out of office.
''He never planned to leave. He should have known that his time was up. After seven terms in an office, what was there to prove again?”
Lawrence, himself an aged, retired man said he had walked out of many offices each time he felt it was time to leave.
''I have ran into problems with a number of my past employers because they would not want me to leave even when I felt there was nothing new to add. I have trained young men and women who have demonstrated competence and a lot of capacity to work and take over in my absence. So what was there to do again?” he asked.
''Hayatou could have been given honorary life president of CAF if he had vacated the seat on his own. But he missed that opportunity and rubbished himself through an election,”he said.
''In his early days, Hayatou came to Nigeria to learn football administration under the late Pat Okpomo. No Nigerian, not even Okpomo nursed any ambition in CAF. Only the late Oyo Orok Oyo demonstrated a serious interest in CAF. He got there and suddenly, he went blind. His blindness shocked all of us.
''Hayatou came to Nigeria when I was NFA Public Relations Officer. He was a humble man and when he went for CAF presidency, FIFA and indeed, other continental bodies wanted to please Africa. Former FIFA President Jao Havelange visited Nigeria to campaign for Hayatou. He should have known his time was up.''
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