Ntiese Williams has rejected accusations of homosexual activity levelled against him by the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation amid heightened tensions between him and the board of the federation.
Williams has been embroiled in a bitter long-running dispute with the Kelechi Mbagwu-led board of the NRFF which led to his ouster as technical director last year.
He was, however, recently reinstated by the sports ministry after winning an appeal against his dismissal.
The NRFF has, however, refused to toe the line of the sports ministry alleging imposition and interference in the federation’s internal affairs by the ministry.
And in an incredible twist to events, the board of the NRFF claims to have received “grave allegations of homosexuality and molestation of minors” against two people including Williams which was said to have taken place at KC Old Boys rugby club.
A three-man committee that includes Commissioner of Police Aliyu Abubakar, Chairman of Lagos SWAN Adebowale Oshundun and Barrister Ifeoma Ogoh has been set up to investigate the allegations against one John Sylvanus and Ntiense Williams.
Reacting to the allegations, Williams in a statement sent to busybuddiesng.com accused Mbagwu of attempting to tarnish his image and dragging “the game in the mud”.
Noting that Mbagwu owns the said club, houses the players and employed Sylvanus as coach, Williams said the NRFF president must be held responsible for any incidents of molestation against the club’s players.
“If there was actually any case [of homosexuality and molestation], will the players come to report to the Technical Director of the Federation or the President/Administrators of the Club?!” Williams wondered in the statement.
Describing the board as “clueless/rudderless board” Williams claimed a lack of quorum because “just 5 members out of 12 [cannot] form a quorum to take any binding decision”.
“The drowning man [Mbagwu] is obviously not helping matters as he keeps dragging the beautiful game of Rugby in the mud, to say the least,” the statement concluded.
