This piece went to press before our scheduled match against Malawi in Calabar yesterday (Saturday) in the 2014 World Cup qualifying series. At the time of writing the piece, it was my expectation, based on our pedigree and current form, that Malawi would not be able to stop us from carrying the day. That was not to say with certainty that the match would be a push-over as it would not be wise to throw caution to the wind in any match, but the odds were very much in favour of the Super Eagles soaring too high to be scotched by the Flames, no matter how intense the heat might be. That optimism notwithstanding, the topical issues of code of conduct and match bonus may, if not handled maturely and realistically, impact greatly on our World Cup dreams. We must not forget that clearing the Malawi hurdle would only take us to the final lap of the qualifying series to be concluded before the end of this year. So the race to Brazil 2014 would still be on. God willing, I intend to tackle those twin subjects in my piece next Sunday. Meanwhile, even though the popular Readers Court page seems to have been rested, it is my desire to periodically make known to the generality of football fans and hopefully for the benefit of all, some of your thought-provoking views on matters of common interest. Excerpt from my piece,Who needs a white elephant? As I drove into Abuja the other day after enduring the discomfort of pothole-ridden highways and the depressing view of the swampy terrain of the Niger Delta, the magnificence of the National Stadium Complex, Abuja, was quite a sight for sore eyes. Although I had seen this uncommon edifice many times before, the sensation was different this time. It was about 5.10pm and the sun was west bound preparing to sleep till the dawn of the next day. But the effect of its soft rays was unforgettable. There it was gleaming in the slowly fading light like white gold, but sitting all alone in majestic splendour. Even the highway seemed to keep a deferential distance as it skirted round it revealing its different sides. At that moment, I realised what caused the sudden captivation. Yes, this was one of the most beautiful and expensive public structures in Nigeria, yet one of the most under-utilised. There was hardly anything ever happening there, giving it the melancholic character of a deserted palace. Imagine what it could cost as interest charges alone if the over N40b it reportedly cost to build it was borrowed. Indeed, there is cause to wonder whether it cannot be put to productive use. Beyond international football, for which it has even lost its pride of place as venue of choice, can we not explore its revenue generating potential in other areas? Whereas the possibilities may be endless, it seems settled that Abuja is the main centre for the Elite Athlete Development Programme. But this programme, which can best be run under the aegis of the statutory and professional National Institute for Sports, has curiously been reportedly hijacked by the Federal Ministry of Sports with little know-how on the implementation of the EADP…. Patrick Jude Omo-Osagie (pjomoosagie@gmail)on the stadium and NIS: “This column is about something very dear to me: sports education. The issue of the National Institute for Sports stuck in the same place for all its 40 years plus is troubling. But like most public institutions in Nigeria, what is needed in the NIS is a complete transformation. Transforming the NIS into National Sports University with the main campus at the Abuja National Stadium will also solve the problem of what to do with the stadium. It will award degrees and be able to do research and have facilities for all sports in one place. This will allow for practicality in coaching courses, sports nutrition, sports science, sports medicine, and sports management. Following the Australian model which I have studied very carefully, we can eventually build a model (demonstration) high school within the stadium.” OguntadeBabatunde-oguntee@gmail – on the recent 3-part serial on 2013 Confederations Cup: “I never saw you play. I was not even four when you won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1980. However, your ability to combine international football with full-time law studies in Nigeria, where there was no structure for scholar-athletes and your rare candour on national issues piqued my interest in you. I completely agree with you that we may sadly refuse to learn any lessons from the last FIFA Confederations Cup. I must point out, however, that the problem is systemic and pervades every area of our national life. What bothers me is the sinful silence of those who should speak. How do we solve our problems if we do not admit them? I graduated from one of the oldest universities in Nigeria in 2001 and moved to Canada for graduate studies in 2003. The first thing that struck me was the “great chasm” between the quality and purpose of education in Canada and Nigeria. It was difficult adjusting to some of the things that I ought to have mastered while in my country. I found students from India and China more prepared for graduate work than those from Nigeria. Why were they better prepared? The simple reason was that their governments had put the necessary world-class basic structures in place to train them so that they could stand their ground in any part of the world. I got over the initial hump but would wish I was better prepared back home. A friend of mine who faced a similar situation actually wrote the then Head of Department at his university about the need to change the curriculum to reflect the current trends in Chemical Engineering. The very disheartening response that he got was that it would be too difficult to change the curriculum! How does one deal with this? By the way, how do you survive in Nigeria with the kind of world view that you have? Please do not stop speaking truth to power.” posted on September 08, 2013 at 12:00AM jtnng.blogspot/
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 23:43:59 +0000
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