As AHMED AHMED takes charge……
70 year old Cameroonian football administrator Mr. Issa Hayatou was facing probably what maybe described as the sternest election in his entire reign at CAF, running for a length time between 1988 to March 2017. All that came crushing on the 60th celebration anniversary of the Confederation of African football.
And the stage was the headquarters of African Union in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. Considering his hold at helm of football for that long 34 votes to 20 was a crushing defeat. And the bells should have louder had the man paid attention to detail. 34 votes was the number campaign manager of Mr. Ahmed Ahmed kept mentioning. The Zimbabwe Football Association President and also Cosafa supremo.
For many football followers of this generation the only thing they knew when CAF was mentioned was the imposing name of Mr. Issa Hayatou. He had become a monumental and feared figure on the continent in football circles even by many giant African nations in the mould of Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana etc. None of countries dared challenge the old man. If anything a candidate to challenge Mr. Hayatou should have been coming from these powerhouses.
In my humble opinion this election was not about the best candidate. It was about change. It didn’t matter who was challenging Hayatou so long there was a challenger.
We all know what Hayatou has done and not done in the last 29 years of his stay at the CAF headquarters in Egypt. We will be remiss to just not mention the strides that football has seen on the continent during his reign.
Women football has received great recognition. He was part of the team that fought to bring the World Cup to Africa for the first time and only time so far. There has been junior World Cup too hosted by Nigeria.
During his time the continent of Africa has seen an improvement in the number teams participating at the World Cup senior. And its during his time that our teams on the continent have exhibited football upsets at World Cup.
The story of Cameroon bringing the house down by beating Argentina at the Italia90 with the old machine in the name of Roger Milla.
The exhilarating performance by Nigeria at the USA94. That wonder goal against Spain to emerge 3-2 winners in that match. The Nigeria of sort going on a year later to claim gold medal at 1996 Olympics.
It was during his time that Senegal dubbed France B team excited the continent with that Papa Diop towering header at Japan/South Korea opening match against the then defending champions.
If it was not for the hand of one Luis Suarez Ghana could have been in the semi finals at South Africa 2010 tournament. That is the imposing story of Hayatou.
We all know that he was never friends with former Fifa President Sepp Blatter. It’s probably that protagonistic affair that made Blatter pay a little more attention to the continent of Africa. Knowing his nemesis could throw the vote away. It almost happened when Blatter was going for first Fifa vote. And he was never gonna test that once more.
For us in Zambia we can only be proud and say thank you old chap. You gave a chance to make Zambia happy again. And with both hands we embraced the Afcon tournament for the youngsters. We were never going to disappoint on that gift. We lifted the trophy right a home. What an honour. Go well Hayatou.
The list is long. But those are the good things only. Of course as Zambian we are bitter that the man took away the Afcon 1990 leading to us destroying the iconic and terraced Dag Hammarsjoet (spelling) Stadium in the hope of building another one. But he has repaid the debt. In someway. Other countries have suffered similar fate. That is Hayatou. That Issa. The man some loved some hated.
But we never had the chance and time to really scrutinise his opponent in this election. We have no idea what Confederation of African football has given us. He could be an experimental leader. In modern day that would be suicidal.
Therefore I am disappointed especially in Hayatou himself by subjecting himself to vote for change rather than a vote for the best candidate. Hayatou should have called quits. 29 years is a lifetime.
There is no insinuation in my writing to demean the victory of Mr. Ahmed Ahmed. Far from it. And I would infact hasten to state here that I applaud his resilience and guts to challenge the colossal figure of the once Indomitable Issa Hayatou. It’s this kind of brevity that brings questions like is man for real or he was just a chancer?
Many football fans if asked they would give varied answers about why they are happy to see the back of the Cameroonian. But the many amongst those really wanted to see Hayatou take a back seat and let someone carry the button. This time it didn’t matter where the button courier was headed. It just had to change hands. And that’s what scares me to the wits.
My disappointment to Hayatou again stays with opinion that he should have stayed away from this election the moment he realised he had a challenger.
And the brutal fact was that it was a candidate from a totally low footballing nation in Madagascar. Not that Ahmed has no acumen to lead but a great many of us have no recollection of his works in football. We are yet to see that. All because we do not a record of his country succeeding in football terms and certainly that should be one of the angles to select a leader at the level. A football leader from Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, DRC will not attract much scrutiny. Madagascar for once even at regional level is none fighter. Again we can’t assume that merely. Just because Madagascar can’t win big matches individuals from that country are not leaders. Just because Cameroon are champions on the continent individuals from there are the best in leadership. These are just questions that will need answers from Ahmed for the next four years.
We all know he has work to do. First will be bridge building in the fractious CAF system. Many of those are Hayatou loyalists. The purging will certainly start and bringing his own comrades to the highest table. That in itself is the birth of nepotism. And the immediate questions of transparency. That’s the hard truth. That is how corruption accusations begin.
We can’t expect him not to reward his brave comrades. But that is the wrong start. It’s a two way sharpened blade and dangerous. Ahmed will probably have the most scrutinised administration in CAF history. With this technology available. Leaking of classifieds will be the order of day that four years might seem too soon for the man.
His challenge of Hayatou had been prompted other people into saying he had nothing to lose. Beating Hayatou at his game was a massive upset and turned out so. And is certainly breaking news. Had he lost it was just gonna be business as usual. It’s like what one boxer Floyd Mayweather once said leading to his mega fight against Manni Paqiuao. If I lose that would be news because all people want to see now than ever before is the loss of Mayweather. But if I win it wont be news because that’s what I do and expected to do.
That was the battle at the majestic African Union headquarters.
Ahmed Ahmed is an ally of Fifa President Gianni Infantino. We all are expecting great things from the new CAF boss. We hope Infantino did not use the support of Ahmed indirectly so as to continue his quest to remove long serving football people at Fifa. This has been an unwritten secret. He has not been having it easy in Zurich because a good number of those chaps are from the old school. Blatter era and are change rigid masters.
There is need also to point out that the departure of Hayatou means Africa is relegated to tail end of Fifa vice presidency hierarchy. The longest seating confederation president is automatically the senior vice president and that was discomforting a lot of people in Zurich and world football.
The stubbornness of Hayatou not to steer clear of these elections robbed us of chance to fresh candidates. In many numbers.
But going into a voting booth with change decision means start afresh. Ahmed will need to start schooling us as of who he is and what can he do. Otherwise congratulations Ahmed and all the best in this new assignment!!!!!.
