The Confederation of African Football – CAF – is set to hold its much heralded elections in March in Addis Ababa.
Sitting president Issa Hayatou, as widely expected, is very much in the race. His sole challenger comes in the form of Ahmad Ahmad, the president of the Malagasy Football Federation.
As is stubbornly the norm, other potential contenders for the powerful seat all developed clay feet and opted to avoid ruffling feathers of the incumbency, thereby steering clear of real or imaginary repercussions.
As it stands, only two names will be on the ballot in Ethiopia.
FACTFILE
Born in 1946, Issa Hayatou rose through the football ranks before eventually assuming African football’s most coveted seat in 1988.
From a humble professor in 1974 in his native Cameroon, he held the post of General Secretary of the Cameroon Football Federation for nine years before he was elevated to Director of Sports in the Youth and Sports Ministry until 1986.
Late that year he became a member of the CAF executive commitee and subsequently rose to the prime seat of President of the Cameroon Football Federation.
He was elected CAF president in 1988, a position he has held to date amid calls for his stepping down often ringing hollow and a couple of amendments in the CAF constitution on term limits being altered to suit his whims rubbing many the wrong way.
The wily administrator has led African football with an iron grip. Often times dissenting voices have been muzzled beneath the public eye.
Ahmad Ahmad, his latest opponent has not been spared the brunt either. His country Madagascar, that was set to host the 2017 U17 Nations Cup was surprisingly stripped of the rights after the CAF Executive Commitee met in Libreville recently.
Keen observers cannot help seeing the incumbent’s hidden hand in this new develpment.
African FA presidents have notoriously been known to play the safe card if only to maintain the status quo and stay out of harm’s way.
The old cabal fencing in Monsieur Hayatou has not been any different, waging silent battles to see the 70 year old cling on to power.
Granted, the CAF presidency has turned out, in a rather ignominious way, to be like personal property with the incumbent performing all manner of acrobatics to hang on.
Bootlicking FA presidents make the situation worse by affording him the numbers he badly needs to execute his treacherous agenda.
FRESH AIR
For all he has done for the game in this continent, Monsieur Hayatou needs to take a final bow and exit the stage. His legacy, albeit tainted with a litany of scandals, remains deeply etched.
Africa as currently constituted cries out for young and focused leadership. The grand clean up started at FIFA where Gianni Infantinno took over the reins from Sepp Blatter, to good effect.
The African game is currently stiffled and battling for fresh air. Time is ripe for fresh ideas. FA honchos must rise up and be counted on the March 16 secret ballot.
