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| Oluwaseyi Motunrayo |
The last may have not been heard about the fortunes and misfortunes of teams that were involved in relegation and promotion matches in the just concluded Nation Wide League One.
This writer exclusively gathered that the boss of Top World football club of Ekiti, one of the teams that missed the promotion from its group, Ayo Alabi , last week petitioned the NFF and the league organisers wherein he alleged that two prominent members at the football house, namely Shola Ogunowo and Siji Lagunju had compromised their positions to influence the outcome of his team's last game against Phoenix Athletic football club.
The petitioned further alleged that the COO of the Nation Wide League One, Sola Ogunowo, is the owner of Phoenix ASC. Even as it also accused another top official of the club, Bayo Olanlege ,of thuggery as the team enjoyed immunity during its home matches.
However, in a swift reaction to the allegations, the Chairman of Phoenix ASC ,Oluwaseyi Motunrayo,debunked the allegations which he described as 'acts of desperation' on the parts of Topworld FC and particularly, Ayodeji Alabi.
" There are no truths whatsoever in the allegations. And it certainly smirks of frustration and desperation on the parts of Ayo Alabi and his team," Motunrayo quipped.
" It is totally wrong to say that Sola Ogunowo is the owner of Phoenix ASC. It is also an attempt to smear his name and that of Coach Siji Lagunju and of course, rubbish the good works of the league organisers," he further stated.
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The youthful club chairman went on to explain that he was elected last year by the board of the club on a three year term. According to him, the club which began as Fountain Youths Sports club is the love of Ekiti football fans because of its enviable structures hinged on genuine youth development.
" We are renowned for our enviable youth development programmes and the average age of players in our team ranges between 15-18 years.
" The problem is the attempt by the likes of Ayo Alabi to maintain the status quo in Ekiti state football. They are afraid of progress and wants to continue to keep Ekiti football in the dark," he remarked.
" It is a shame that he could descend so low to smear campaigns against such personalities. And it won't work," Motunrayo lamented.
It would be recalled that Topworld fc lost its last match away to Phoenix ASC 0-1, in what was described as a decider. A win in the game would have seen Topworld gaining promotion play off. At the end of the group matches, it was Kwara Feeders that got the play off and Phoenix ASC claiming the second spot.
Conclusively, he advised the football authorities to be wary of unsavoury moves and desperate acts by frustrated club owners and officials who are bent on bringing the game to disrepute in the country, by dropping names of distinguished football administrators and linking such to their self-induced misfortunes.
" Football is a beautiful game and the authorities should not allow some disgruntled persons destroy its legacies," he added.
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