The Chairman of the Benue State Football Association, Chief Barrister Paul Edeh, has urged Nigerian women to take active roles in sports ownership and investment, stressing that true inclusivity will only be achieved when women begin to finance the game.
He made the call while delivering a keynote remark at the SWAN Diamond Jubilee Public Lecture, where he commended the association for recognizing individuals who have contributed significantly to sports development in Nigeria.
“We cannot continue to advocate for gender equality in sports if women themselves are not willing to invest in the system,” he said.
“As we speak, all the privately owned clubs in the women’s league are owned by men. That shouldn’t be the case. We need more women to come forward, to own clubs, manage clubs, and sponsor competitions.”
The Naija Ratels founder, known for his tireless efforts in promoting the girl child through sports, revealed that his organization has invested billions of naira in nurturing young female talents and providing platforms for them to excel globally.
“So far, we have invested over ₦2 billion in women’s football without any commercial return. But the reward I get is seeing young girls transformed; those who were once hopeless now have careers and hope,” he said.
Barrister Edeh emphasized that beyond financial profit, the real benefit of investing in women’s football lies in human transformation and national development.
“When you educate and empower a woman, you empower a nation. The same principle applies to sports,” he declared.
He also lauded SWAN for using its 60th anniversary to celebrate voices of impact in sports, describing the platform as “the conscience of Nigerian sports.”
“SWAN plays a very important role in shaping our sports ecosystem and that’s why this recognition means so much to those of us in the trenches of sports development”, he concluded
