Swansong for Constant Omari

24 hours following a worthless victory against Gambia in AFCON qualifiers Cameroon 2021, the President of the Congolese Football Association, Engineer Constant Omari Selemani, sang his swansong. The former CAF’s 1st Vice-President, CAF ExCo Member, FIFA Council Member and CAF former Interim President will not pile up a 5th consecutive term at the helm the DRC FA. If FECOFA statutes do not regulate the conditions of resignation, Constant Omari can choose to leave office as he wishes and when he deems fit, without his departure causing significant damage to DR Congo football.

(Constant OMARI with then CAF President AHMAD and the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame)

To begin with, it would be highly inappropriate for the outgoing President to resign without sending a letter of resignation to FECOFA members whom he had worked with for 17 years and other possible leaders within this body. The vehemence of this technician from the SCTP (formerly ONATRA) seems to have taken hold of all sides. Mistreated in recent times by many events whose outcomes are far from certain, Omari Selemani is subject to vengeful mob justice in his country, the DRC. For the first time since 2013, the Leopards will not be present in Cameroon comes January 2022 for AFCON finals. Poor performance by the national team at AFCON 2019 in Egypt was the prelude to this descent into hell. Kicked out at round of 16’s stage by the minute Madagascar, the national team pays the most exorbitant price of football demise in the Congo. It shall remain stuck in craw that, even with the increase in the number of countries in AFCON finals (from 16 to 24 – from AFCON 2019 in Egypt), the Congolese selection “Concrete” failed to ensure its structures waterproofing. The Leopards took a cold shower in Gabon, beaten with a scathing 0-3, which ended their campaign. A story that will be talked over and over again by fans, footballers and budding leaders, who will have difficult to understand the logic behind the inability by the DRC team to qualify for AFCON finals, in a qualifiers’ Group with no real power house, Gambia included.

Constant Omari’s statements on Canal + had a boomerang effect. Is it true that Omari would not have resigned from FECOFA if he had been assured of exercising his prerogatives at CAF and FIFA? It is believed that such position gave him height, a major propelling springboard to reach the heights of power in these institutions. But Constant has raised a major issue – the absence of a sports policy in DRC, considered to be the matrix for this drift’s early grooming, should there still be a sporting code, because it is all about football and not sport, holistically. Many questions remain unanswered given the delay which Constant finally came to the evidence of this bouillabaisse with. Why did he wait more than a decade to assess the situation negatively, as some pundits inquired? This silence also makes Omari as an accomplice as decision-makers and stakeholders, both at the state level and at the level of obligations’ performance and planning, so others do think.

Whether it took place amicably or in the context of a dispute, the resignation of the FECOFA boss for unknown reasons will have fundamental consequences. In DRC, continuity is a stumbling block. Once the new administration takes office, resolutions, planning and other measures already taken towards improvement by the outgoing team will be sidelined; they will start afresh. This tale finds its rationale in the results achieved by Sengi, the Leopards’ coach. Since he took office, his smelly loquacity, stuffed with irreverent wording, towards his predecessor, Florent Ibenge, was cruelly bewildering to the point the truth of the facts finally caught up with him. In 2 years of tenure, Sengi will have won only one game, sluggishly through Kebano individual brilliance in Angola. However, with Ibenge, the country was at the brink of reaching World Cup finals. During qualifiers for the last 2018 World Cup in Russia, DR Congo was the best attack in Africa zone, with 14 goals, but not qualified; while Nigeria had only scored 12, Morocco 11 and Senegal 10. DRC was among the top 3 African national teams for a long time according to several FIFA rankings. Yet Christian Sengi had inherited the same players and the same working conditions, with minimalist data reserved for Covid-19, without a major weighting related thereto, because the pandemic has hurt everyone in many areas; and not only DRC and the Leopards of Sengi. “No haste or disastrous procrastination,” Baudouin 1st told Congolese politicians during 1960 Round Table in Brussels, for Congo independence. This shall be the attitude that needs to be adopted by all stakeholders – the public sector as well as the private sector. Why would Omari absorb the holy wrath on his own?

A certainty though, DR Congo is lagging behind in the design, adoption and implementation of a sports policy by the government. But the country cannot question the foresight of a saving vision that Constant Omari Selemani has displayed regarding Congolese football for ages. There was no shortage of ideas. The man is knowledgeable about the issue as he has proven it time and time again in some fruitful exchanges held several times in several places across the DRC and in Africa, and even the world. Omari is a Think Tank who has never been accompanied in his efforts; he set the benchmark for the future of DR Congo football. It would have been necessary to move forward in brainstorming mode, braving efforts to combine wholesome synergies leading to a better football for tomorrow. Precisely, it was under the leadership of Constant Omari that triumphs in CHAN were achieved twice, TP Mazembe victories in CAF Champions League, including this FIFA Club World Cup final against Inter Milan, not to mention 4 Congolese teams in CAF interclub and the bronze medal in AFCON 2015. Among his achievements, Constant secured the Kurara Mpova center, the building for new FECOFA Head Qaurters in Gombe, better off than the shack on Avenue de l’Enseignement, as well as the amendments and variations to be made to the Sport Act, within the framework of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Constant’s immolation will not complete the redemption of Congolese football gold crest; in-depth work remains the panacea. Kabongo Law – Sports Act only covers general principles and certain dimensions relating to sponsorship. The contribution by the Congolese State to the functioning of sports federations and associations should have been a reality through public funds excluding contributions from partners and private resources. These resources should have been allocated for a third towards the high level with specific programs directed towards sports equipment and infrastructures, as well as training for local athletes.

In a country like DR Congo whose total sports budget is barely 2%, in proportion to the national budget, in some countries, it is still on the rise. In France and South Africa, it easily reached € 1 billion and € 910 million respectively for the 2020 financial year. If in South Africa, football is weak, rugby, cricket, athletics, Netball, boxing – even at school level, are sporting codes that bring in world titles, Olympic medals and world victories (springboks) for the country. Their athletes do not train in the US or the EU; they are based in their country with all state of the art equipment and infrastructure. Such budgetary efforts illustrate the government’s desire to invest in sport. These increased resources will make it possible to roll out ambitious measures in favour of high performance as well as sport development for all. They will also finance a program for the renovation and construction of sports facilities which will contribute to the sporting legacy for upcoming competitions. DR Congo needs a similar sports policy that will be part of a powerful dynamic towards initiatives that mobilize additional resources within the state itself. All of these challenges were addressed during Constant’s long term in office. Omari has plenty ideas, initiatives and strategies for the emergence of football in DR Congo. In his sepulcher, Banza Mukalayi, would testify to endeavours made by Constant Omari for the private sector inclusion in the sport development, along with certain advantages such as the reduction of the tax slate for its involvement through sponsorship and efforts relating to CSR. His clairvoyance attracted him both plots and conspiracies in an effort to drive him out of the leadership within FECOFA, including deceit among his fond henchmen.

It is true that for Constant Omari, The Game is Over! But stop the game; responsibilities shall be shared. Linafoot’s Vodacom sponsorship was weakly negotiated for the financial health of the league, it was necessary to do better than this dismal jackpot of 100,000.00 US each season (already revised upwards – perhaps). FECOFA and the Ministry of Sports have failed to work closely together and come up with a series of actions for development. When will the rebirth take place for success? The public, like VAR’s interpretations, waits without explanation like all viewers to notice whether Goals are validated, Or not. Red Cards given, Or not. Emotions are subject to validation by VAR still. No more spontaneity. It used to be simple though. A goal and fans went ballistic; they jumped, exulted, shouted, yelled, cried, got naked, and embraced each other. Today, game thread has been lost, including nervous impulse, envy, and passion. Congolese live by such adrenaline drawn from victories excitement. Like with VAR where it is Impossible to know how to judge referees’ performances – the same applies to decision-makers, in charge of getting football off the ground in DRC. What a Waste! Still and always! The Die Is Cast (Alea Jacta Est)!