Democracy @ Ten- A DECADE OF SPORTS DECADENCE- By abdulgafar oladimeji

Ten consecutive years of civilian administration in Nigeria could be best described as a decade of sports decay, less attention were paid to the maintenance of infrastructures, and neither was new modern sports facilities constructed to enhance sports development in the country.

Our civilian lords had a ten uninterrupted fruitful years in utilizing sports as a conduit pipe through which public funds were been siphoned, they out number active participants, posing as delegates to major international competitions, pouching over ten times what our athletes and coaches are paid in the name of estacode .


The Obasanjo led administration laid the foundation for the ruins in our sports, through his introduction of a PRESIDENTIAL HANDSHAKE POLICY, substituting the norms of governmental rewards for hard won achievements by our sports men, deeming it fit for our athletes been rewarded with a handshake at the Presidential Villa.

His Vice , Atiku Abubakar tasked with the responsibility to over see sporting matters did not conceal his disdain for sports, in exception of situation where huge government contracts would be awarded to political cronies in the name of sports development ventures..

Nigeria made over 162 billion US dollars in the ten years span of it democratic governance (! 999-2009) and can not today boast of World Class sporting facilities and had to be berated by FIFA Vice President Jack Warner during his last inspection tour of facilities for the FIFA U17 World Cup scheduled to be hosted later this year by the 6th largest oil producer and seller in the world.

Nigerian democracy at ten has given birth to failures and hearth breaks to its sports loving populace. Sydney 2000 Olympics was a nightmare, the disaster in not been able to campaign at the last edition of the FIFA World Cup is one disaster that still lingers on in the minds of Nigerians in the last ten years.

Ghana 2008 Nations Cup is not an exception; our Super Eagles got re-baptized as Super Chickens, the Beijing Olympics as usual was snowballed into another jamboree by our leaders, whom would not ensure the release of funds to ensure adequate preparations by our athletes, only to provide thus days to major international competition in pursuit of the fulfillment of their selfish interest, which includes, free air ticket, hotel accommodation and estacode.


Ten years of democratic governance in Nigeria led to the swerving of nationalities by two of its illustrious athletes,Gloria Alozie and Francis Obikwelu, here we are on the verge of losing our bid to host the FIFA U-17 World Cup, likewise the battle to pouch a ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2010 to be held right at our backyard, did I hear you say God forbid, I say amen.

Democracy @ Ten- A DECADE OF SPORTS DECADENCE- By abdulgafar oladimeji

Ten consecutive years of civilian administration in Nigeria could be best described as a decade of sports decay, less attention were paid to the maintenance of infrastructures, and neither was new modern sports facilities constructed to enhance sports development in the country.

Our civilian lords had a ten uninterrupted fruitful years in utilizing sports as a conduit pipe through which public funds were been siphoned, they out number active participants, posing as delegates to major international competitions, pouching over ten times what our athletes and coaches are paid in the name of estacode .


The Obasanjo led administration laid the foundation for the ruins in our sports, through his introduction of a PRESIDENTIAL HANDSHAKE POLICY, substituting the norms of governmental rewards for hard won achievements by our sports men, deeming it fit for our athletes been rewarded with a handshake at the Presidential Villa.

His Vice , Atiku Abubakar tasked with the responsibility to over see sporting matters did not conceal his disdain for sports, in exception of situation where huge government contracts would be awarded to political cronies in the name of sports development ventures..

Nigeria made over 162 billion US dollars in the ten years span of it democratic governance (! 999-2009) and can not today boast of World Class sporting facilities and had to be berated by FIFA Vice President Jack Warner during his last inspection tour of facilities for the FIFA U17 World Cup scheduled to be hosted later this year by the 6th largest oil producer and seller in the world.

Nigerian democracy at ten has given birth to failures and hearth breaks to its sports loving populace. Sydney 2000 Olympics was a nightmare, the disaster in not been able to campaign at the last edition of the FIFA World Cup is one disaster that still lingers on in the minds of Nigerians in the last ten years.

Ghana 2008 Nations Cup is not an exception; our Super Eagles got re-baptized as Super Chickens, the Beijing Olympics as usual was snowballed into another jamboree by our leaders, whom would not ensure the release of funds to ensure adequate preparations by our athletes, only to provide thus days to major international competition in pursuit of the fulfillment of their selfish interest, which includes, free air ticket, hotel accommodation and estacode.


Ten years of democratic governance in Nigeria led to the swerving of nationalities by two of its illustrious athletes,Gloria Alozie and Francis Obikwelu, here we are on the verge of losing our bid to host the FIFA U-17 World Cup, likewise the battle to pouch a ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2010 to be held right at our backyard, did I hear you say God forbid, I say amen.

Pillars Set To Nab Brazilian Striker- Abdulgafar Oladimeji

By Abdulgafar Oladimeji

In a bid to strengthen its attacking row, CAF champions league campaigners Kano Pillars have concluded plans to sign on a Brazilian born striker, whose identity is yet to be unveiled by the management of the side.


Speaking in an interview monitored in Kano, Ibrahim Galadima EX-NFF boss(then NFA) revealed that the technical crew charged with the responsibility of tinkering the 2007/2008 Premier league title holders to success in their ongoing continental onslaught, laid down a request to contract the services of 5 players amongst which two are from across the shores of Nigeria football.

He added that the 3 players been sought after would switch allegiance from local club sides to the Kano side at the end of the ongoing Nigeria Premier league season.

Commenting on reasons that prompted the engagement of a foreign coach to oversee the continental campaign, Galadima said’ we need someone with vast knowledge in the politics of the game, insisting that two coaches could not take charge of over 40 players and deliver the required result, that is why we decided to contract an additional coach who is highly experience”.

The Kano Pillars Continental Committee Chairman attributed the poor display by the Pyramid lads in the 2008/2009 season to poor officiating, stating that though poor officiating is the bane of the teams dismissal performance in the league, cautious approach on the part of the players in view to eschew injury is another factor disclosed Galadima.

Commenting further on the poor runs posed by Pillars this season, the Kano born football administrator who failed to lead Nigeria to a World Cup outing in 2006, before shown the exit route from the Glass House, cited lack of vision on the part of the core management of the team, whom he disclosed should have opted for a makeshift venue in the ancient, contrary to adopting Kaduna as a temporary home ground to the team, which he said has financial and moral implications to the disadvantage of the Kano side.