The Federal Government has been urged to team up with private organisations to close the funding gap in grassroots sports, especially football, nationwide.
At the Honourable Rasheed Super Cup finals on June 12, organiser Rasheed Alao highlighted Nigeria’s wealth of football talent and stressed that lack of funding is still a big obstacle to developing local players.
He stressed that while government involvement is essential, the private sector must also play a key role.
“I realised that we have a lot of talent in this country, but there’s still a huge gap. This field wasn’t like this before. I commend the authorities for their efforts so far, but more still needs to be done, especially in terms of financing.”
“It’s not necessary for the government to handle all the financing directly. Around the world, where football thrives, you will find the hands of technocrats and private organisations involved. If we continue to sideline them, government alone cannot shoulder the burden.”
According to him, partnerships between the public and private sectors will not only advance sports development but also shift public mentality away from overreliance on government.
In a broader message, Alao noted that the event was also held in commemoration of June 12, a day he described as significant in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
He said young people, especially in Lagos, were awakened to the responsibilities of preserving national history and identity.
“We all know today is an important day in Nigeria’s history,” he stated. “As youths of the Lagos chapter, we are awake because we are part of both the old and the new Nigeria. We see the gap and miscommunication between the elite, middle, and lower classes, and we are working to bridge that gap by raising awareness.”
He however called on Nigerian youths to take ownership of the country’s future by engaging with its past.
The Super Cup final match was played at the Ladoja Primary School Stadium between Harmony FC and Adwaaik Sports Academy.
The encounter ended 2-2 in regulation time, forcing a penalty shootout in which Adwaaik Sports Academy triumphed 4-1 to lift the trophy.
The PUNCH