Veteran broadcaster and journalist Mitchell Obi has raised considerations over the state of sports activities infrastructure in Nigeria, saying the nation has many stadiums however just one at the moment able to internet hosting worldwide soccer to FIFA and CAF requirements.
Obi, a former President of AIPS Africa, recognized the Godswill Akpabio Worldwide Stadium (GAIS) in Uyo as the one Nigerian stadium currently assembly the required requirements for worldwide soccer.
He mentioned the scenario exhibits that Nigeria’s drawback isn’t an absence of stadiums however the failure to correctly preserve and handle them.
“If Lionel Messi have been to play in Nigeria tomorrow, there is just one venue in your complete nation the place the match may very well be sanctioned,” Obi mentioned.
Based on him, the scenario ought to result in critical dialogue about how Nigeria plans, manages and maintains its sports activities services.
Nigeria has invested billions of naira in stadiums through the years, together with the Moshood Abiola Nationwide Stadium in Abuja, the Nationwide Stadium in Lagos and the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan.
Nonetheless, Obi famous that many of those services are now not in a position to host main worldwide soccer matches, regardless of the massive sources spent on them.
He additionally questioned the financial worth of stadiums that stay unused for lengthy intervals of the 12 months whereas governments proceed to spend cash on their upkeep.
Obi argued that Nigeria wants to maneuver away from seeing stadiums merely as monuments and start treating them as lively sports activities and enterprise services.
The Godswill Akpabio Worldwide Stadium in Uyo, he mentioned, at the moment stands out as a facility able to assembly worldwide necessities and serving to Nigeria keep away from the embarrassment of getting to host main matches exterior the nation.
The stadium has hosted main worldwide soccer occasions and has grow to be one in all Nigeria’s key venues for high-level soccer.
