NFF & Football Reforms in Nigeria — Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme: 19 Years inside The NFF, What Will He Change?

By 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐎𝐤𝐨𝐤𝐮

𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 inside the Nigeria Football Federation should provide an administrator with considerable knowledge of its strengths, weaknesses and recurring financial difficulties.

For 𝐃𝐫. 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐈𝐤𝐩𝐞𝐦𝐞, now overseeing the NFF Secretariat on an interim basis, that experience presents an opportunity to demonstrate professional leadership.

It also raises a broader consideration: why should Nigerian football leadership be restricted by professional background when 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 can be evaluated under the same standards?

𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄

According to the NFF’s 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 publication, Ikpeme previously lectured at the 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐫 and served as Sole Administrator of the 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥.

He joined the federation in 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟕 as Deputy Secretary-General responsible for technical matters, becoming Deputy General Secretary in 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟓.

In 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, he presented his book, 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝, examining eleven sports and anti-doping.

On 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, following the departure of President 𝐈𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐆𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐮, General Secretary 𝐃𝐫. 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐢 and members of the Executive Committee, Ikpeme was assigned to oversee the Secretariat.

He inherited an established institution, not an empty office. Its departments, employees, financial commitments and national-team responsibilities remained in place.

His familiarity with that structure is a professional advantage. What he accomplishes with it will determine its value.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐅𝐂𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃: 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍

Anyone who has managed people understands the importance of surrounding an organisation with 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬.

Nobody is perfect. But trust must be grounded in 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭, 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 and 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

On 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗, 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 reported that the 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 questioned Ikpeme during investigations involving NFF finances.

The reporting reviewed does 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 against him arising from that questioning.

His record must therefore be distinguished from the legal and financial controversies involving other NFF administrators.

In 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟒, 𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐢 was removed amid allegations of financial mismanagement before FIFA’s intervention led to his reinstatement.

In 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗, 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐮 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 and 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐢 were named in corruption-related charges brought by the 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥. The Federal High Court 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 in 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗. A separate attempt by the EFCC to add them to another case was rejected in 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎.

In 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, the 𝐄𝐅𝐂𝐂 confirmed an ongoing investigation concerning the utilisation of the 𝐍𝟏𝟐 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 federal football intervention fund during 𝐈𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐆𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐮’s presidency.

These are different proceedings, with different documented outcomes.

𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝.

𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝.

Every person’s professional record deserves accurate examination.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀 𝐅𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖

A 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀-commissioned 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 review of 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟓 NFF development expenditure raised documentation and compliance concerns involving approximately 𝐔𝐒$𝟖𝟎𝟐,𝟎𝟎𝟎.

Ikpeme, then Deputy General Secretary, was associated with the federation’s administrative responses to the review.

Published accounts referred to questions about 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 and explanations involving 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞-𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬.

The original correspondence, subsequent submissions and recorded outcomes should establish which issues were resolved and whether corrective measures followed.

Institutional accountability requires preserving those records beyond the tenure of individual administrators.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓: 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑?

In 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 reported that outstanding daily allowances were paid to the 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐬 during their international assignment while Ikpeme was overseeing the Secretariat.

Meeting approved payment obligations should become a routine administrative achievement, not an exceptional event.

His interim leadership can be assessed through practical responsibilities: maintaining a 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, tracking 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, strengthening 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 and ensuring that future administrators inherit 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬.

These improvements require coordination across the federation, with decisions taken within the Secretariat’s assigned authority.

After nineteen years of institutional experience, Ikpeme should have considerable familiarity with the departments and procedures necessary to pursue them.

𝐌𝐘 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘

Am I making a case for 𝐃𝐫. 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐈𝐤𝐩𝐞𝐦𝐞 to receive fair consideration?

𝐀𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲.

But I am not advocating for him merely because he has spent nineteen years within the NFF.

I make the same case for qualified former Nigerian internationals such as 𝐃𝐫. 𝐒𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐧 𝐎𝐝𝐞𝐠𝐛𝐚𝐦𝐢, 𝐌𝐎𝐍, and for other qualified professionals, whether they come from football or from outside it.

Having led people myself, I value competent colleagues who understand responsibility and can earn trust through their conduct, judgment and record of service.

For decades, controversies surrounding 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬’ 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 and 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 have followed Nigerian football administrations.

Nigeria does not need another round of familiar disappointment.

It needs leaders capable of breaking that cycle.

Let qualified former footballers compete.

Let qualified non-footballers compete.

Let their 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐬 and 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 withstand scrutiny.

And let the appropriate statutory and selection process determine who earns the responsibility.

𝐍𝐨 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

𝐍𝐨 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐍𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞.

𝐍𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝.

The objective is not to choose a footballer over a non-footballer, or vice versa.

𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥.

That search must include competence. It must include integrity. It must also include character.

We need people with enough 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 to protect the game from disgrace.

And we need people with enough 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞 to stay away from conduct that brings public ridicule upon the federation.

A serious leader should not be comfortable presiding over 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬’ 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬’ 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 or 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 that become endless disputes after official trips have already been budgeted and approved.

A serious leader should want those obligations paid properly and on time.

A serious leader should respect 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬, keep proper records, support 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 and understand that transparency protects both the institution and the people working within it.

And when legitimate questions are raised, no official or mouthpiece should reduce every accountability debate to the familiar refrain that “𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚.”

That warning has too often been used to frighten the public, suppress scrutiny or shift attention away from questions that deserve answers.

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

It should never become cover for avoiding scrutiny over the management of Nigerian football.

We do not have to agree on every candidate.

Respectful disagreement is part of healthy public debate.

But if Nigerian football is to move forward, then the standard must be clear:

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝.

𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠.

𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒. 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓.

Ikpeme’s experience deserves recognition. His interim leadership deserves evaluation through 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬.

𝐇𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦.

𝐇𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.

𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞.

𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐎𝐤𝐨𝐤𝐮

FIFA Legend | Former Nigeria Flying Eagles Vice-Captain | Former Super Eagles International | AFCON Silver Medalist | Football Historian | Football Analyst | Investigative Football Writer | Journalist-at-Large | Founder & CEO, Greater Tomorrow Children’s Fund (GTCF)

𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊, 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

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𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧, 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥. 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.