Thumbs down Issa Hayatou, congrats Yaya Toure.

   I grew up knowing household African football names like Sam Okwaraji, Jules Bocande, Stephen Keshi, Steven Tawtaw, Roger Milla, Abedi Pele etc. Playing football regularly amongst my peers initially, and my seniors later, we gave some people in our team those names and they bore them as nicknames. I clearly remember a friend we used to (and still) call 'Opong Weah', after the legendary Liberian. Amongst these names however, there was a background name; Issa Hayatou.
In fact we had a team mate we called 'Hayatou'. I met him in the team and joined in calling him the name. Yes he was a good footballer. I guess he picked the name because of his weight. Guy was heavy!
   Monsieur Issa Hayatou, the President of CAF, a Camerounian, came into power as President of the continental football body on 10th March 1988. He has won series of elections till date that has kept him on seat. Since 1988!!!
I know about self succession. It abounds everywhere in the world. National politics is not my thing so it won't form a discourse for me.
   Abdel Aziz Moustafa of Egypt was the last CAF Supremo who had a long tenure. He led the organisation from 1958 to 1968. I am not in any way justifying his 'long tenure' but some schools of thought could argue that because CAF was still 'young' it needed stability. Monsieur Hayatou have led CAF for 27 (twenty seven) years! Some present day ballers had not even been born when he took over. Is it that there is no other person as 'qualified' as he is to take over from him or has the office become a personal franchise? People bicker about Sepp Blatter and his long stay in office whereas it is child's play compared to Hayatou's stay. His fans will quickly point to FIFA's increment of Africas slot at the world cup as his most notable achievement. Well, in today's world, even a Yaya Toure would have made FIFA to do that. It's common sense. How has football evolved in Africa under him? The truth is African football has lost its identity.
      "African football has lost its spontaneity 
       with the introduction of European style
       football." - Fabio Cannavaro.
Apart from footballers outside the shores of the continent, what is obtainable here is football comedy. Egypt (and maybe South Africa) despite their political crisis have continued to fly high in the continent. This is because they decided to leave CAF and the rest of Africa behind and forge ahead. How has the African representatives to the Club World Cup fared? How have African sides fared at the FIFA World Cup? When was the last time an African appeared in World top three? For the world club cup, African clubs just go to make up the numbers. Census count. Attendance.
*voice call* Africa? *chorus and index fingers raised* PRESENT!!
African football is doing a Michael Jackson moon walk. In the various leagues across Africa, spectatorship was high in years gone by. Today, some of us would rather sit at home and watch a Burnley vs Leicester City EPL game organised by the FA, under the umbrella of his European counterpart, Michel Platini. Too bad.
   You may say that we are not supposed to rub shoulders with Europe in terms of football. Okay. Assuming that is even right, should we be where we are? Is it that there is no other person to lead CAF?
   Cowardice is a global phenomenon, but that of Africa is overwhelming. All the self branded football administrators are either afraid or have been compromised by the man himself. If we continue like this, we will disappear from from the world football radar very soon. If the people who are 'supposed' to run against him are afraid then what is expected of the rats in the field? Africa will keep moon walking in football until there is a (positive) change in football administration, centrally, and across her member nations.
   On a wonderful note, a hearty congratulations to Manchester City's Yaya Toure. The Ivorian, a vital part of City's title chase won the CAF player of the year award ahead of Dortmund's Pierre Aubameyang and Lille of France goal tender Vincent Enyeama. Yaya had a beautiful year. He bullied other club midfielders out of the way and presented the EPL trophy to Sheikh Mansour. Yaya is so good that rival clubs are happy that he is going away on national duties for AFCON 2015. Congratulations to him.


Follow Ikenna Enenta on twitter; @ikenna005