In 2018, the Federation of Uganda Football Association ( FUFA), introduced a football tournament with the aim of taking to grassroots the game of football based on Provinces in Uganda.
The FUFA inter Province Competition was codenamed ‘ The Drum ‘.
The competition is played between the 16 Provinces of Uganda under the Official FUFA regulations.
Under “The Drum”, FUFA always meet the costs of the teams in the areas of accommodation, transport, individual and team winners’ Prizes, trophies and medals plus costs of match officials including the competition and training balls.
According to the FUFA website, The objective is for searching talent across the country because the nation can’t predominantly rely on league games to tap budding classy talents and ” The clubs will also have a better hunting ground of players for their teams”.
However, The FUFA Drum with the Slogan “Celebrating Our Ancestry” in West Nile Region is getting rounded by tribal talks and divisionism brought about by Team selection. This can be witnessed by skyrocketing attacks between football fans of the West Nile Sub-region and according to some football experts, this should not be taken with a grain of salt.
The defending Champion, West Nile Province Comprises 9 Political districts of Adjumani, Arua, Koboko, Maracha, Moyo, Nebbi, Pakwach, Yumbe and Zombo And most of these Districts though from the same region have different Languages and cultural backgrounds.
From what is being heard and seen, All the Districts need their representation in the Province team and given the intensity of the game, no team wants to lose any single match they come across, thus the selection of formidable players.
To some fans, The West Nile Province Technical Team is majorly focusing on Players from some specific district whilst sidelining key players from other Districts.
sneak peek into fans’ claims about the biased selection of players.
“The problem with you Lugbara guys, you think Alur doesn’t have quality players, and it’s one of the reasons we are backing off your brainless thinking “A fan reacted.
“No need of telling me, am not a fool to waste money to come and watch Lugbaras playing, I rather watch a village friendly match than that useless match” Another posted on a wasup group of a football club in greater Nebbi.
Another fan said ” ALUR PROVINCE, leave LUGBARA out of this it’s called West Nile province but not LUGBARA”
“Let me make this clear, we celebrated last year, yes, the squad had plenty of our own talents and that’s why we were victorious and joyous, but ever since we realized that there is a need to push for our own talents to shine too, we are now in our own lane, that’s why we had to pen down a letter to FUFA, hope you understand it now”, A frustrated fan said
A fan stressed “Arguing with an Alur is like wrestling with a pig in a mud. You will realize you are getting dirty, but they (pigs) are actually enjoying”
According to the FUFA website, ” Political districts shall mean those that existed as of 1st July 2017. Districts created after will belong to where their original (Parent) Districts belong or where not applicable FUFA will give new guidance”.
Last season, The West Nile Province team which is under the Auspices of former cranes striker Ceaser Samson Okhuti, had a flying performance and were crowned champions after thumping the Lango sub _region province team in their own backyard in what was dubbed as the neck and neck encounter.
The fans especially from some Districts started voicing scathing criticisms against the Technical Team of West Nile subregion after they suffered a humiliating 4 -1 defeat to Busoga Province Last week.
There has been no communique from the West Nile province team about the tribal debate that has become a song and a dance, especially on social media platforms which is representing the real though lines of many people. Squ
Unlike other provinces that share similar languages and cultures like Acholi, Lango, Buganda, Kampala, Ankole, Karamoja, Bukedi, Bunyoro, and Kampala, West Nile has districts with different languages and cultures.
Many West Nilers feel the format of drum competition is not exactly representing their true slogan of “celebrating our ancestry” like other regions.
The Alur Speaking people that cover the three Districts of Nebbi, Pakwach and Zombo lately have been rooting for secession from the greater west_nile province.
In June This Year, The Prime Minister of Alur Kingdom Opar Lawrence Angala, wrote to FUFA putting clearly their plan of having Alur Kingdom as a Province of their own, voicing out strong backing To the breakaway plan.
“The West Nile province operates within the diversity of a community without a unifying symbol like Tooro, Buganda, Acholi, Busoga, Teso all of which have a unifying Language Under their respective cultural institution. West Nile has 12 districts and 1 city with the most diverse community speaking over 8 languages. This has distorted the ” dressing room language” under the west Nile cluster” The Prime Ministers’s letter reads in Part.
He additionally said ” Therefore, as an established cultural institution that has influence across the Greater Nebbi Districts of, Pakwach, Nebbi and Zombo, we are requesting for a Separate province to cater this cultural reality. This shall consolidate the Vision of the Competition dubbed ” celebrating our ancestry”.
FUFA has not made their clear Pronouncement on the Letter Formally.
To some, The letter has pointed at a burning smoke with fire. Many argue that Alur Kingdom’s current standpoint on the Drum Competition should be addressed without any further Ado, adding that players and fans attached to Alur Kingdom might be influenced to some extent.
There have been a series of thought lines of West Nile fans on various social media platforms about the FUFA Drum. The reactions are coming from every nook and cranny of West Nile. This according to some football analysts the Whisper Eye News contacted, might lead to dwindled support towards the Province team.
Social media is a communication tool not taken lightly in this day and age, people feel free to put their feelings and thinking on the platform that represents their thought lines and aspirations and it’s where public opinion about a certain decision that affects them is gaged based on their reactions.
However, it’s not a guarantee that players from all districts be selected to represent specific regions they hail from.
According to football experts, team selection is incumbent upon the whole technical team and it’s premised on Individual performance, and discipline of players amongst other factors.
Last season, the debate about tribal selection of teams was scarce. Others argue that it’s because of what many West Nilers described as the dismal performance of the West Nile Province team in their first group stage game with Busoga province, in which West Nile – Nile were thumped 4 -1.
The West Nile Province Technical Team Comprises members from all the West Nile Districts. A source who preferred anonymity told the whisper eye news that the tribal debate that is ongoing based on team selection is a total lie.
“You know FUFA Drum has become so tense, no one wants to lose a game and if you look at team selection of West Nile Province, it’s based on the current form of players, some of the players fans are talking about have not been on form lately especially some players from greater Nebbi, Drum has become tense, you need to pick great players who can win for you games.” He explained.
Apparently, the West Nile Province Team is fully preparing in the Lead up to their second group stage encounter With Bugisu Province at Aba bet Green Light Stadium in Arua.
