The saga wasn't over After Nigeria Coach Keshi Fire

The saga wasn't over After Nigeria Coach Keshi Fire

The saga wasn't over, however. Maigari failed to submit his form for the NFF presidential elections, which were won by Chris Giwa. FIFA then reinstated Maigari again, prompting yet more elections, as well as a fire that threatened to burn down the NFF headquarters. Amaju Pinnick

-- who has a public dislike for Keshi -- was finally selected as the new NFF president. FIFA accepted the results, with Sepp Blatter sending a congratulatory message in early October.

Such distractions did little to help Keshi, whose Nigeria squad had regressed so rapidly that they were starting to resemble a Sunday League team. AFCON qualifying wasn't going well: a measly point from three matches, including a dumpster fire of a loss to Sudan. With the team performing so poorly and Pinnick now heading up the NFF, there was no doubt what the next step would be.

The Super Eagles finally mustered a 3-1 win against the same Sudanese team, leaving them with an outside chance of making the AFCON finals. But the result mattered little: the events of the past few months made it clear Keshi had to go.

Unfortunately any hopes for the future progress of Nigerian football were put to rest with the appointment of Keshi's successor. Shaibu Amodu, who was responsible for leading Nigeria during the pitiful 2002 and 2010 World Cup qualifiers. A man so unimpressive that he was sacked before the finals in South Africa.

Watching Keshi, the man who once hailed as a savior, and the team branded as the new golden generation, disgraced and almost physically attacked at Abuja airport by incessant fans was beyond sobering. Having him replaced -- even if the appointment is only temporary -- by a disgraced former manager makes Nigeria's future look even more bleak.

One foot forward and a decade of progress back.