I’m not interested in managing football, my goal is to lead the Sports Ministry- Mitchell Obi

One of Africa and World’s famous and renowned journalist and broadcaster, Dr. Mitchell Obi, says his desire, wish and goal is to set the tone, pace and give direction to sport in Nigeria and set a template for the continent to emulate.

Dr. Mitchell Obi came out with this stand on Thursday in Lagos shortly after his arrival from Cote d’Ivoire the host and winners of the 34th African Cup of Nations, (AFCON).

The seasoned journalist told your correspondent that it’s time for Nigeria to give adequate attention and funding to sport because of it’s capacity to transform the economy and the country for good.

“If I were to be NFF chairman I would have been NFF chairman, far back as 1990, as SA to the Minister I was told to take over in 1990 when there was a crisis but I refused, football management yes, I have been involved as a chairman of a club but I’m not into managing football.” Dr. Obi the former President of AIPS Africa noted.

It’s noteworthy to state that the former Editor of Nigeria Guardian Express Newspaper is very disturbed by the poor state of sporting infastructure in Nigeria and maladministration of the sporting industry.

“I want to become Minister in this country so that I can have a perspective that goes beyond football, the Nigerian youths deserve better, because sports is big, it’s goes beyond the business end of it, sports in Nigeria can fast track our total development, look at how Cote D’Ivoire and Qatar used sports to get their infastructure on the move.

Cote D’Ivoire constructed four new ultra modern stadia and renovated and upgraded two stadia for the Nations Cup finals that had a global audience of 2 billion viewers with 24 African countries in attendance.

The country’s road network, telecom, hospital, and hospitality sector were given a facelift.

“We can do that right, we need someone who as a Minister is very close to the President ; telling him that Nigerian youths want to use sports as a veritable tool for development, as a tool for even management of the resources of this country, as a tool as they said in the sustainable development goal and that sports is an enabler.” The multiple national and international award winner stated.

Dr. Obi who presents three of the most celebrated Sports program on radio and TV in Nigeria strongly believes that sport is the perfect vehicle to oil the Renewed Hope agenda of the current administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Nigeria needs to start using sports as a catalyst, as an enabler in the different dimensions of what the people need, the youths particularly, get all our stadia in shape, get the youths to be part of it through schools, go down to the local government, stimulate sporting activities and see how this sector will boom into an industry, from the clothing to the food to the entertainment side of it, the dimensions are so broad.” He emphasized.

While in Cote D’Ivoire, Dr. Mitchell Obi had extensive discussions with notable sports personalities on the need for the government to open up the sporting sector.

“Former international, Segun Odegbami, and myself whenever we sit down and talk, we talk about how sports can change the whole of Africa’s economic page and many people are now becoming to see that.”

It will interest you to know that some friends and associates of Dr. Mitchell Obi are serving in different African countries, Asia and Europe have been saddled with sports stewardship and are changing the narrative positively.

Key areas Dr. Obi says he will address Include: Up grading and meeting the sporting infrastructural deficit, creating and training a strong, effective pool of sports technocrates and working with the states and local government to give the youth a platform and spring board to lunch themselves and the country.
Others are attractive school sport and move it beyond recreation as well as fast track the relationship between sports, business and entertainment industry

“When we get it right, Africa gets it done and we will become the sporting hub of the world, we can do it and the sporting family are ready to activate it.” Dr. Obi concluded.