ManU’s Visit To Nigeria: A 2 billion Naira Waste.
July 22, 2008 by 
Che Oyimnatumba
The Business Eye Magazine of June 16-22 2008, led with the story of the upcoming ManU’s visit to Nigeria. This visit according to the magazine is estimated to cost the good people of Nigeria 2 billion Naira. In preparatory bid, the dethroned governor of Cross Rivers, Liyel Imoke closed Obudu Ranch for maintenance and a yet to be ascertained amount has been pumped into the renovation of TINAPA.
As I write this, I am at pains that the diehard Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal fans have not taken to the street to protest this daylight rape without condom. I love sports and participate actively in it. But this mad worship of English Premiership, is giving me cause for alarm. Very soon, the madness will start afresh with the opening of Premiership in August.
Before the sudden death of Chelsea in their owner’s backyard in Moscow, (some Nigerians also died) no conversation in Nigeria, is complete without a discussion on the last premiership or Champion’s league march. Even official meetings have been postponed because of matches. A good number of wives had to hug pillows because oga was glued to the TV, or have gone to Iya Bimpe’s drinking joint to watch a match. I have no hard feelings for these Nigerians who elect to worship the god of premiership, after all the Nigerian government has failed them and the mind needs something to distract it from the suicidal economic realities of Nigeria. Most Nigerians live for the next premier season as there is nothing to cheer at the home front.
But this failure of Government has been taken to a ridiculous height. The first sign of this rascality in governance was when the learned SAN, governor Fasola of Lagos State, invited ManU’s Rio Ferdinand. Nobody has quantified how much of Lagosians’ tax money was wasted. Or do we have statistics of Nigerians who have died as a result of premiership related dispute. The Lagos State Commission for Youth and Sports, is a Chelsea fan, I guess the governor consulted him before bringing in Ferdinand. To further shame the blackman, the Oba of Lagos, honoured him with a chieftaincy title of Fiwagboola. The Oba should be made to understand that there are worthy Nigerians to be honoured with chieftaincy titles, if the Lagos monarchy is desirous of wasting it. I wonder if the governor and the Oba know the name of any local boy sweating it out in our local league. The boys who labour all day on the white sands of Orile, the rocky grounds of Ajegunle, will make a good role model, if singled out for honour by the Oba. Our traditional institutions should be respected. When was the last time an African, living and working in Africa was knighted by the queen?
Nullified Governor Imoke, who was messed up at the Power and Steel public hearing, is reported to host ManU and Kanu’s Portsmouth with 2billion Naira. I thought TINAPA was to be an Africa’s answer to Dubai, when did it become a Wimbledon?
To show the disdain with which the white man sees this waste, they sent an inspection team to weigh out the facilities on ground. It follows that Nigeria does not have a pitch fit enough to be a training ground for these English teams. Shame on NFA, NSC for allowing this. The local teams are in shambles. Right there in Cross Rivers, the local team Calabar Rovers, is yet to restore her lost glory due to lack of funds, yet the government is being wasteful. This fiesta, will not improve Nigeria’s ranking with FIFA.
This 2 billion earmarked for wastage, can be invested in our local league, upgrade our stadia and generally give sports a boost. It grieves me that Kanu is involved in this wasteful circus. Imagine the number of Nigerian children with heart problems this 2billion Naira can bring smiles to. The money voted for this ManU basking in the sun, can be used to alleviate the suffering of primary school students who have been on forced holiday because of teachers strike.
Don’t tell me this jamboree for English men hibernating for next season, is a tourist show. What does Nigeria stand to gain from this charade? Are they coming here to establish a football academy? The Federal government just took a loan of N40 billion from World Bank to rehabilitate roads, yet we are wasting this much to watch 12 adults fooling around with an inflated balloon.
Nigerians complain about the amount of money spent on football at the detriment of other sports, yet a day light robbery, is taking place and nobody seems to care.
I call on all fans of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Calabar Rovers, Heartland FC and Gombe United, both at home and in diaspora, to protest this funnelling of our collective resources into the pocket of your rivals. Visit ManU website and post your protest. On the day they land at the airport, let us stage a street protest, waving banners denouncing this robbery. After all, ManU did not vote for this government, but fans of all clubs did. If the government cannot abort this robbery, let all fans demand and rightly so, from his governor that his team must also visit Nigeria, a land of waste.
| 2.5 |
Mr Che,
Thank you very much for this very thought provoking and insightful write-up.
You could not have analysed and narrated the never-ending madness in some quarters of Nigeria any better.
…And the average, struggling Nigerians look on while all these is happening.. How much more do they need to suffer and endure at the hands of the few making then go through hell daily before they decide enough is enough…?? I ask myself!
This is tragic, symptomatic of the mass disconnection between the leaders and the led!, the so called san and the oba are a big disgrace to Nigeria, did you hear what Rio said after the title?, the guy rubbished not onlyn the title, but also the givers by pointedly declaring that he doesnot know what he did to merit it1!, what are the gains of Rio’s visit?,okocha would have been the best model to celebrate, as per the recent tinapa tournament, another disgrace, apart from the empty stadia/ turnout, the teams cancelled their vist to rivers and calabar where the pernicious governors had wanted to embark on another jamboree.Did u hear what Redknapp say?, that it was the worst ever premiership preparation for his team, if he had stayed a couple of days more he would have gone insane and that there were more security men than spectators!As for fergusion,he shunned all frivolities, saying that he has to prepare for the next season staright to the airport
BIG SHAME!
To me its a waste but still even if the 2billion was used for something else,it wont still solve the big problem Nigeria is into now. This is just entertainment and we all should enjoy it while it lasts. It was opportunity for many to see their stars too. Life’s too short, dont bother your self too much with things like these. Thank you.
it is a good thing to contribute to nigeria development, but most of the time our leader will alway chear on us. like in agiliti mile12 lagos nigeria, there is one accademy term there that as bein playing football for a longtime, but there is no surport from the federal goverment, state goverment, and the locial govermant. if care is not taking they might later end up in some thing eless. so if such money was bought to nigeria, everlasting inprovement most be taking. DO SOMETHING TO 3S FA AT AGILITI. my name is robbin emmanuel, i am a student player 19 years of age.