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Fashola Receives Touring World Cup Trophy; Urges Africa To Build Football League

Oct 21, 2009 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) Wednesday received the touring FIFA World Cup Trophy at the Banquet Hall of the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, just as he urged the African Continent to resolve to build a football league like the Western nations of the world.

Governor Fashola, who was obviously excited at the occasion, said Africa has all the potentials to build the greatest football league in the world as she has great players who are making waves in their different clubs across the globe.

He told the audience, made up of visiting FIFA officials and some notable former members of the Nigeria national team, “I like to share my belief with you that every week as I watch football, I see there is scarcely any football team in the world at the club level that there is not at least 1, 2, 3, sometimes 5 to 6 Africans playing there”.

“Sincerely, what is needed, therefore, is our resolve to build one of the greatest leagues in the world. The greatest team in the world is based here”, Governor Fashola said.

He also disclosed his intention to build a new Lagos League for the State saying he has been speaking with the Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola on this intention. He added, “He has demonstrated an interest to work with me to build a new Lagos League”.

Thanking the company and the President of FIFA, Mr. Seth Blatter for the honour of giving Africa the opportunity to host the tournament and for fighting the African cause in the World body,, Governor Fashola noted, “I think this is the first time that Africa is hosting all the major real soccer championships organized by FIFA”, adding that this is a testimony to the commitment and resolve of FIFA, under the leadership of Blatter, to give Africa the chance she requires to excel.

He described Nigeria as being also lucky in the area of soccer as she will in a few days time, play host to the World as she hosts the U – 17 adding, “It means that as I speak on this great Continent, Nigeria has two of FIFA’s greatest football championship trophies in our country”.

The Governor praised Coca-Cola for what he referred to as their ability to re-invent themselves saying, although it ranks as the greatest drink in the world today, the company continues to challenge themselves through research and advertisement to improve the quality of the product. “One lesson I have learnt from Coca-cola is that there is a path beyond excellence, a path called par excellence”, he said.

In an interaction with newsmen later, Governor Fashola said the presentation of the trophy to Nigeria was recognition of the very huge and passionate followership the game of football has in Nigeria adding that that is why FIFA gave the hosting opportunity not only for Nigeria but for Africa.

He reiterated that this is the first time all the three major championships of FIFA – the U-17, U–21 and the Senior World Cup - are being held in Africa adding, “Nigeria is particularly lucky being a passionate footballing nation in Africa, on the Continent”.

Earlier, in his remarks, the co-coordinator of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour, Mr. Emmanuel Maradas, commended Nigeria’s President Umar Musa Yar’Adua for allowing the trophy to be brought here adding that Nigeria is the only country since the tour began that the trophy is staying for 24 hours.

Describing Nigeria as a great football playing nation, Maradas recalled that it was Nigeria that opened the football door to the rest of the Continent when it won the first FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 1984 in China.

Speaking on the reason for coming to Lagos, Maradas declared, “The reason for our coming here is to present the Trophy to Governor of Lagos State. Lagos is the hub of Africa, the Elephant town of Africa, the economic door of Africa. Without Lagos, some African countries will perish”, adding, “If you want to succeed in football, you must come to Lagos”.

According to him,”We have come to present the trophy to the best man for Lagos. He is passionate about this country; he is a man who can solve the challenges of Nigeria”. He recalled that when he visited Lagos a few years back, movement was almost impossible from one corner of the State to the other, adding, however, that Governor Fashola has solved the problem.

Urging all Africa nations to stand up and prove themselves worthy of this special attention by the rest of the world, the coordinator declared, “South Africa is hosting the world in June 2010. They will host it for Africa, for Nigeria, for Lagos. We are all involved. The stake is high. If they fail, we fail”.

Also present at the occasion were the Chief Executive Officer of Coca-cola International, former Eagles’ goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, Segun Odegbami, some members of the State Executive Council, FIFA officials and members of the football community as well as other top government functionaries.