Lobi Stars FC under it’s financially reckless Vice Chairman Mr Dominic Iorfa escaped relegation through the hand of God on the 17th July, 2022, the escape was generally described by soccer pundits as the hand of God because Lobi Stars couldn’t help themselves as they lost their last match by a woeful 3-0 margin to Abia Warriors in Okigwe and were bailed out by the results of Wikki Tourists and Katsina United in Bauchi and Kano Pillars against Shooting Stars in Kano.
The erratic self-acclaimed super football administrator who couldn’t interpret the CAF Statutes had boasted in his press conference shortly after the end of the league about his unconventional means of getting results and promised that he was going to win the Aiteo Cup for the people of Benue State.
In his usual style of misappropriation of funds, he took the entire 40 Million Naira allocation meant for June 2022 salary for the players and staff of the Club to prosecute the Aiteo Cup and create another situation for unaccountability in order to embezzle the money.
The whole aim of insisting to participate in the Aiteo Cup when he knew ab-initio that given the deadline for submitting the list for CAF representatives, it will be too late to use the Aiteo Cup winner was to embezzle the June 2022 Salary in the name of Aiteo Cup. He went ahead to take part even when the body language of government didn’t encourage participation as no financial provision was made for it.
Lobi Stars had won their first three games against two non league sides and one football academy to get to the quarter finals which Lobi Stars were expected to meet Niger Tornadoes in Jos, a fixture that would have tested his capacity and justify his braggadocio.
While in Jos and panicking over the outcome of the game against a side that is obviously threatening to Lobi Stars, news of the filing of Kwara United for CAF Confederation Cup by NFF on a slot that was supposed to be for the Aiteo Cup winners filtered in.
In reality, the NFF had the protection of the CAF statutes for the nomination of Kwara United as most of the African countries that were yet to get their version of Aiteo Cup winners did.
Dominic Iorfa who was already trembling in fear of meeting Niger Tornadoes saw an opening and quickly mobilized other clubs to boycott the Aiteo Cup so that he will come back to make his normal empty claims that if not for the boycott he would have won the Aiteo Cup, all these he pushed without properly cross-checking with other member countries vis-a-vis the correct interpretation of CAF Statutes on the matter.
Unfortunately for Iorfa, some of the clubs realized the foolhardiness of going with him under the aegis of NPFL Club Owners Association and continued participation. The semifinals of the Aiteo Cup will take place on the 14th August, 2022 as Lobi Stars were walked over by Niger Tornadoes on Wednesday 9th August, 2022. A boycott fine will certainly be imposed on Lobi Stars and any other club that fell for Iorfa’s manipulation by NFF.
Also read: NIGER AWARD GIVEN TO US BY FG HAS NO REGARD – FMR SUPPER EAGLES PLAYER OBIEKWU
As at the time of filing this report, the May and June 2022 Salaries of Lobi Stars are still unpaid and can not be accounted for by Iorfa, even though he has sacked many players and several value added staff, therefore reducing the wage bill by over 50%, he still find it difficult to pay. He prefers inducing Governor Ortom’s confidants and close associates with money meant for salaries to lobby his stay on the job despite severally and consistently misappropriated, embezzled and draconianly running the club aground.
We hereby call on Governor Ortom to in his God’s given wisdom make good the mistaken appointment and rescue Lobi Stars from the pangs of Dominic Iorfa and shun the sentiments of escape from relegation, as if escape from relegation had taken the place of accountability, probity and responsible management of public funds and human resources.
Some Football administrators in Benue State in the likes of Mike Idoko who have overtime demonstrated capacity and achieved far better results than this relegation escape noise, other highly qualified, organized, educated and responsible football administrators in the class of former international Moses Kpakor abound in the state. Iorfa should not reduce Lobi Stars, a respectable club to a mere joke.
Besides, the narrow escape from relegation in itself was clearly a divine favour that came from God through other results devoid of Iorfa’s effort.
