Introducing FIFA Cards into Imo Electoral Campaigns

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Prof. Protus Nathan Uzorma

Ola Rotimi in one of his legendary dramas pressed an exonerating declaration on fatalism, when he categorically stated that “The Gods are not to Blame,” and a Cistercian Monk, Rev Fr Gerard Mary Ezeodili further threw in his work “Why Blame God?” But after decades, the Igbo author, Daniel Okam, lanced his own drama- “Who Is to Blame?” These and many other plays on title point on a single fact- Causation, that is, on the fact that whatever happens on earth has a cause or causal link with an existent, either as primary or secondary agent. This agency is the medium or link of innovations or introductions of prior nonexistent acts, states, events, conditions, modus operandi and modus vivendi, etc in the human society.

What is at stake in the causation and its agency is the effect the act has in the life of humans and the society. The effect makes for either appreciation or blame, or worse still, condemnation. Most times, there are certain prior causes that lead to inventions, and it is on this same note that the issuance of yellow and red cards started. When the English (Essex) man, teacher and referee, Kenneth George Aston got the inspiration to use yellow and red cards in football matches, as imitation of the traffic yellow and red light colours during the quarter-finals between Argentina and England in 1966 world cup, it got various reactions from nations around the world, and not until the Olympic games of 1968 in Mexico when they were used and later became compulsory in every match in 1982 by FIFA. .

FIFA introduced the operation of the two cards in football match as an innovation to help control, prevent and punish brutal violence among footballers. The issuance of red and yellow cards in a football match becomes a cause and effect act or law and sanction due processes, which at the present age could be contested afterwards but never at the football field or while the eventual match is still on.

But innovations in a sector or sphere of life can be imitated or simulated and this makes for the use of technology transfer or transfer of learning. I believe this too, is the origination of the present day FIFA cards in Imo State electoral campaigns. I believe too, election in its proper sense in both the Nigerian and Imo contest, is purely a football match. As in every match, there must be a winner and a looser, meaning either the greater team wins and the weaker one looses or the weaker but circumstantially lucky team wins and the stronger but unlucky by dint of misfortune or tactical errors looses, as Manchester City’s lose to Burnley last Sunday in the English premiership league. To this effect, big names or team does not matter but what was obtainable at the field of play.

Having said these, I want to return to the initial discussion on the innovation of red cards in the present 2015 general elections in Imo State. How did it start? How far has it gone? What are the implications of the red cards to both the card givers and the receivers? What effect do they have in the life of Imolites as a society with many football teams vying for a single cup in this electoral match?

Of a truth, the use of red card came from one of the lancers of novelties in the world: Priests, poets, prophets, professors and teachers, artists and men of entertainment industries. One could verily trace ours back to the legend satirical music “Ka Opuo” of the comedian and humorist, Uche Ogbuagu that was released early this year. The music in its audiovisual displayed a red card, FIFA kit and referee gestures, ejecting a maladministration that is obviously understood by all, but that he skilfully never mentioned the head’s name. This satirical song condemns the obvious evils in Imo State governance, mocks pretence and suggests to Imo electorates that they are in essence the FIFA of the Imo electoral community, the officiators of the forthcoming general elections, as well as detectors of who carries the day among the 22 players in the field. The satirised administration is like the football in the field, which is dangling and needs to be thrown out and a new one brought in by the centre referee who bears on him the yellow and red cards.

This satire like wildfire circulated round the State and went down to the consciousness of the fast maturing political socialisation grandeurs of Imolites. Since the target is a singular ball or an evil player, and knowing their rights now, Imolites now shout and show red cards to the maladministration. The implications of this are that, Imo electorates and members of various political parties in the State are over aware that they alone have the right to still vote for the seating administration that the satire mocks or evict it. They have also known that once the red card is given, the affected player must be off without legal redress for the match to go on, and his being off weakens the possibility of his team making it.

Imolites have also known that individually they are referees officiating one match and except in a collective effort they can evict the bad player. This account for the joint administering of red cards having known the rules for issuing straight red card as in: Serious foul play, use of abusive language and spitting on player, violet action, and unfair denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

The implication on the player means that he or she is compelled to leave the ongoing match, banned for some matches ahead, sanctioned financially and thus a setback for further career actions. In the person of a politician, it is an outright throw-out from an occupied seat and implies the entrance of a favoured one. To this effect, Imolites have thus been self-clothed in the FIFA referee’s kits; wagging cards to any candidate they want or don’t want again in the field of play.

It is this issuance of cards and the singing of the imperially humorist song of Uche Ogbuagu “Ka Opuo!” that generated the issuance of another card- Green card, imitating Ken Aston who got his inspiration on yellow and red cards in football matches from those of traffic light colours. The APC crowd knowing that they have already been issued red cards even before the tournament, meaning- “Don’t dare entering the field!”, decided to invent a non-FIFA card, a self-mockery and defence act, the emergence of green cards at Obiriodenigbo last week, and which certainly has led Owelle Rochas Okorocha back to a teeth-gnashing reaping-nemesis and a reoccurrence of the accusation of beating a Priest as Gov Ohakim was accused of beating a clergy in 2011, now no more on the road but in the Santa Santorum Dei (Holy of Holies of God), where God in the Trinity lives and breathes on earth.

Personally I have no problems with Imo electorates ejecting a player out of a football match because it is their sole right to choose who leads them, at what time and to what extent. Yet, I want to plunge more into the introduction of FIFA cards in the electoral process in Imo State. Must it be only during election time that Imo citizens know that they have the right to still retain or evict an aggressive player from the political office-field? What of while the tenure of the person is still valid? Is red card the only FIFA officiating gesture for warning and penalisation of bad players in the field?

There are various means Imolites can use to correct a seating political office holder while still in office. It is alarming that we keep silent while very few of us strive to correct their acts, and even while doing so, many pillory us and call us enemies of the State. They can be corrected and the essence of criticism is for change, just as the essence of satires as Uche Ogbuagu’s “Ka Opuo!” is to correct and ensure change in the society. Several anomalies have gone throughout these years and Imolites that today carry FIFA red cards did not open their mouths to condemn or say their views.

There were cases of Court Judgements which implementations were ignored by the present day administration, and neither Imolites nor the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) reacted. There were series of issues like jingles in IBC that sponsors for long have withdrawn their tolls and sponsorship and urged their names withdrawn from sponsorship but the jingles and messages still flow on air by Imo citizens manning and working in the IBC, forgetting that such a one may become Governor of Imo tomorrow while they remain his or her subjects. There are several instances of maladministration and mismanagement of our communal funds or even inefficient representations by some of the politicians we elected into public offices, and on whom we have right to recall or query through due processes, but both the Imo State House of Assembly and Imolites kept quiet as sitting ducks sulking, waiting for the end of the political tenure, when they will react with the issuance of red cards. Have there been any time Imolites jointly call for a referendum of their elected public office holder and stood their ground and succeeded in doing it? The only thing we are known for is to shower accolades on maladministration, and when it is time to vote, we turn FIFA referees.

FIFA has but two types of cards while the referee is in the football field- The yellow and red cards. There is no green card. The only evidence of greenness in a match is the applause and booing of the on-looking fans and spectators. This sort of green card is heard in every 15 hours out of the 18 hours that IBC Fm airs its programmes to Imolites. Green cards are for residential permit, which does not make one a true son of the soil of the area, and is not meant for football field, where the officiators are entitled to either give yellow cards as warning or warn with advice and gests as last pardon before penalisation with yellow or red card.

I am of the view that since the issuance of cards have been introduced into the Imo electoral campaign and political system, we should at all times remember that there are necessary times to call players to order, advise and warn them for last time in order to redirect an erring administration to the right path as I have for long done, as well as few others to both the present administration and the past ones. Imolites should also understand that there exists yellow cards, which could be issued to bad playing players in the elected and appointive political fields, and if the player still persists, either a second yellow card is given to him or her, making it red card or an outright red card be given, and not only during election time and as campaign antics. Except if the issuance of this innovated electoral penance cards will be banished after the forthcoming elections, and meant as copyright imitation of Uche Ogbuagu’s “Ka Opuo!” red card and eviction yell! If they will still be, may we at all times warn, advise, criticise and penalise our elected representatives whenever they err especially when their green-service-papers are still valid, irrespective of the grandeur of political position he or she occupies with our mandate. And to whomsoever the card is issued, Imolites should embark on a synergised effort to back its implementation, and eject the player out of the field of play or their cards are mere placards that are discard-able.