By Simbo Olorunfemi
"The trouble with Nigeria is simply and
squarely a failure
of leadership. There is nothing wrong
with the Nigerian land,
or climate or water or air or anything
else. The Nigerian
problem is the unwillingness or inability
of its leaders to rise
to its responsibility..." - Prof. Chinua
Achebe.
Whatever the result of the match between
Nigeria and Burkina Faso on Sunday, the
point has been reinforced - the problem
with Nigeria, simply put, is that of
leadership. The challenge that confronts
us is that of leadership – one with a
developed mind of its own, unmoved by
the shenanigans of an ignorant, boot-
licking sections of the media, yet
vociferous and always seeking to arm-
twist leadership into going the wrong
direction. What is lacking is a leadership
that is resolute enough to proceed on the
strength of its foresight and conviction to
do what is right. A leadership not
overwhelmed by the need to dance to the
populist tune of a less-than-
knowledgeable mass with claim to
expertise on subjects they know little
about. A leadership, daring to push the
people on a track it had designed with the
objective of taking the people to the
promised land. A leadership strong
enough to fly on the wings of its well-
founded conviction, damn the nay-sayers,
and go down on its dagger, should the
outcome not be favourable.
Stephen Keshi has always stood out for
his sterling leadership qualities. A man of
unmistakable charisma, the 'Big Boss'
started making his mark, from his days at
St Finbarr's College, Lagos. As the Captain
of the famous NNB Football Club, Benin
in the 80s, Keshi soon became an integral
part of a crop of an NNB-dominated
national football team. In a twist of fate,
the late arrival of the Stephen Keshi-led
group of players from NNB to the Green
Eagles Camp resulted in their suspension
by NFA for 6 months from all football-
related activities in Nigeria. But that was
to open another vista for him and his
generation of footballers. He left for
Ivory Coast and from there, for Europe,
opening the gateway for other African
players to make a career of football
abroad.
It was in the national team, however, that
Stephen Keshi's leadership was more
evident. For 14 years, he bestrode the
Eagles like a collosus. He was not called
'Big Boss' for nothing. He was powerful.
He was influential. He was reported to
have had input in team selection, at that
time. Whatever was the case, you could
not ignore Keshi. He had a mind of his
own.
It was for the reason that Keshi was his
own man that it took the Nigerian
football administrators so many years,
until their hands were forced into giving
him the opportunity to serve as Head
Coach of the national team. They knew
him as one they could not push around.
He had served meritoriously as an
Assistant to Shuaibu Ahmodu (another
man serially wronged by Nigeria, in spite
of his tireless work for the national team,
qualifying the team for the World Cup
two times, only to be shoved aside by the
Administrators on both occasions.) The
no-nonsense stance of the Coaching crew
that led to the suspension of Victor Agali
and others at Mali 2002 for breaking
camp rules was instructive. But a
compromised section of the sports media
was not for that effort to instil discipline
and worked to see Ahmodu out of the
door. His major sin – not exactly media-
cuddling.
It is no surprise that Stephen Keshi, with
a single-minded approach, has built the
present Eagles team, away from the
orchestrated campaign to undermine his
efforts, on the backbone of discipline,
character and right mental attitude.
These values, he is pushing, that have
long gone AWOL in our national life. Is it
a surprise that not many saw the sense in
what Keshi was doing? In his own words,
"... there were lots of problems back home
when I left out some of the senior players
in the team, but I had my own reasons,
which are known to me only... I know
that some people did not understand, but I
knew exactly the type of players we
wanted, the mentality, the players who
can work for the team." In only 5 weeks,
he has been able to build a team of an
otherwise indisciplined set of Nigerians
that has some semblance of unity of
purpose, unlike teams of the recent past.
Keshi proceeded with his work, in spite of
distractions from detractors and beer-
parlour analysts who always seem to
know more about football than those who
are professionally involved with it. The
Administrators' body language was all
too obvious. In any case, they had only
reluctantly fallen back onto Keshi
following the monumental failure of the
favoured son, Siasia. Not a few felt they
were only waiting for Keshi to fail for
them to bury him. The report in the
papers last week only confirmed the
known.
But Keshi beat them to it. He kept to his
plan, a joker to his chest. He was man
enough to identify the strengths of Daniel
Amokachi, who has proved fearless with
his thoughts and voice on football, just as
he was a rampaging bull on the field. He
expressed his preference for Keshi as
National team Coach, even when it was
politically incorrect and inexpedient to
do so. A good Leader is never afraid to
surround himself with strong men.
Keshi opted to give the home-based
players a chance. He inspired them,
shored up their confidence and
incorporated them into his main team.
The 23-man team to the Nations Cup is
made up of 17 debutants. There are not
those names that easily roll off the
tongues. Same Nigerians who had, before
now, called for 'fresh legs' and home-
based players were not impressed. He did
not decorate the bench with the new boys.
He made them core members of the unit.
Oboabona and Mba are first team players,
even though they play at home. The
Captain of the team, Joseph Yobo, has
spent more time on the bench than the
field of play. Keshi has not played names
or reputation. He has proved himself a
Leader not given to nepotism.
So, what has Keshi done differently that
has made him succeed, where many
others have failed? What is Keshi doing
that the political leadership not doing?
What stands out in his style of
leadership? What does he bring to the
table that Nigeria can learn, given, as we
have, on the wings of Chinua Achebe,
submitted that leadership is the major
problem facing Nigeria? Here are some :
Keshi is not a product of some good luck.
He has, for a while, sought the job. He
considered himself qualified for the job
and did not wait on some benevolent god
to ordain him for it. He prepared himself
for it. The knowledge gathered from his
mistakes and misfortune have prepared
him for the position. When the Abuja
gods would not nod in his direction, he
got his hands dirty in Togo and Mali,
gaining valuable experience that has
become handy in his march to the Nations
Cup final. He has not built a team based
on quota system or embarked on a
vendetta mission. He has remained
focused, refusing to be distracted by
rabble-rousers. He has not been
capricious, but dedicated and deliberate.
He did not need to set up committees to
address what common sense will easily
lead one to do.
Keshi was confident enough to build a
team in line with his own template. He
built a team, and did not simply assemble
an array of stars to jostle for shirts with
bulging ego-pips on their hefty shoulders.
In so doing, he has succeeded in instilling
discipline, forged character and harvested
commitment from the team. He was not
afraid to pick and drop players. His team
is not made up of nominees by Governors
of the 36 states and party stalwarts. He
was not afraid to pick raw diamonds and
refine them for his use. He was not afraid
to lose his job, by risking it all, and for
that, he has gained it.
Nigeria needs a Keshi. A man who is not
only prepared for the job, but has the
wherewithal to inspire, stand his ground
and build from the ground up, even in the
face of cynicism. Nigeria needs a leader
with a roadmap on where he wants to
take us and is ready to stick with it, see it
through, irrespective of criticism by those
who do not know and do not know that
they do not know. Nigeria needs a Keshi -
a man who is not afraid to appoint strong
lieutenants, one who is not intimidated
by paper tigers mouthing jaded jargons
borrowed from templates handed down by
Bretton Woods institutions, but can see
original thought and locally-grown
solutions for what they are. Nigeria needs
a Keshi that is charismatic - inspiring his
people, engendering a camaraderie that is
necessary for teamwork and nation-
building. Nigeria needs a Keshi - a man
ready to lose it all on the strength of his
conviction. A man who will be ready to
lay down his life so Nigeria can have hers.
Nigeria needs a Keshi - a man whom
Nigerians might not believe in until he
dislodges the formidable forces of Ivory
coast that seems invincible to all and
pulverise the Mali of poverty presently
running riot in the land. When Nigerians
are convinced they now have a Keshi, they
will be willing to back him, all the way,
in running over the Burkina Faso of
stagnation that has held the nation down
for over 50 years. Nigerians need a Keshi
now. This is the hour for our own Keshi.

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