There are times I feel like I am going crazy but then, I ask myself, is it worth it? No! is the answer I usually arrive at. The monumental and embarrassing level of corruption in our country is just incomprehensible; one cannot begin to fully wrap his/her mind around it. We are so unashamed of our corruption that we celebrate it as an achievement. What is the reason for my lamentations this early morning you might wonder?
While we spent or wasted a reported N2.2bn on preparations for the recently concluded Summer Olympics in London and had nothing to show for it, other countries that adequately planned and had long-term strategies, won medals and have gone back to the drawing board to restrategize on how to get a better result next time. What are we busy doing? Strategizing for an election that is 3 years away – if only we put that same energy and vigor into developing our sports and other facets of the Nigerian economy.
Britain had an exceptional showing both as hosts and participants in the London Olympics but they are not resting on their laurels as President of the FA, Prince William opened for use, a 330-acre, £100m FA Centre that is reputed to be one of the most advanced sporting facilities in the world and is also set to become the base for all coaching and development work undertaken by the game’s governing body.
It will also be the training and preparation ground for all of the England teams. It boasts 12 world-classes pitches, state-of-the-art hydrotherapy suites, biomechanic gyms and video analysis amenities.
That is what I call sports development, planning for the future. The amount spent to build and equip this world class facility in 2012 cost just £100m (about N25.5bn). How much did the Obasanjo administration spend on giving us the Abuja national stadium that is now an eyesore? N30bn? N25bn? N40bn? The exact cost is still shrouded in secrecy.
Some 9 years ago, we spent over N25bn to build an edifice that is rotting away while another country builds a world class centre that makes our own look like child’s play, at a little over N25bn; what does it say of our morals as a people?
