By Che Oyinatumba
 June 23rd, 2008,
6 a.m EST
I thought Neo-colonialism is
dead till I read this week's Business Eye magazine, which
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. 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.
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?
Governor Imoke, who was messed
up at the Power and Steel public hearing, is reported to
host ManU and Kanu's Portsmouth with 2 billion 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 2 billion Naira
can bring smiles to.
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.
|
