- Promises To Intervene
By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North-Central, in Kaduna)
The Executive Chairman Federal Character Commission (FCC), Hajiya Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran has expressed sadness that members of the Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria (AFFAN) allowed the leadership crisis to degenerate to the point of petitioning Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and taken other actions that are capable of causing more harm than good to the group.
Omidiran bared her mind on the leadership crisis in AFFAN, how decisions solely taken by the acting president, Dr. Esther Oluwatoyin Aluko on who is qualified to contest key positions is attracting bad publicity to herself and the entire members of the association.
The co-founders are kicking against alterations of the original constitution including Proposed Eligibility Restrictions for key elective positions in AFFAN to only those who represented Nigeria in NOC-recognized sports competitions which gained prominence shortly after the association became eligible for representations on boards and committees in Nigeria's sports sector.
Aluko altered the original documents/constitution registering AFFAN with the CAC which enabled her to remove names of board members from the north and south-eastern Nigeria and replaced them with names from the south west.
The changes by Aluko, the aggrieved founding members had argued clearly deviated from AFFAN's original vision of inclusiveness as it inadvertently excluded women who have made substantial contributions to Nigeria’s sports sector as technical officials, administrators, coaches, advocates and sports development partners.
Omidiran who was in Kaduna for the investiture as first national Matron by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) at its 2026 Triennial Delegates Congress in Kaduna state, said she's not happy with the way the parties are handling of the matter and promised to intervene.
The FCC boss told the Sports Writers that women are naturally good at conflict resolutions and wondered why the members are watching while the leadership crisis is threatening the foundation of AFFAN.
Omidiran who denied membership of AFFAN contrary to assumptions in some quarters said, "They are sorting themselves out. ItI am a friend of AFFAN, I did not expect them to drag this issue for too long".
Promising to use her office as the FCC Chairperson to intervene with a view to ending the lingering feud, Omidiran who advised Sports Writers to remain apolitical no matter the difficulties said, "Maybe very soon I will call them together and see how the issues can be resolved".
Omidiran encouraged journalists, SWAN members in particular to remain resolute in their professional calling notwithstanding inherent challenges. "Continue to be our eyes and ears. Sometimes it gives us joy and sometimes heartaches because when things are going wrong they still have to tell us". NNL
