By Jacob Ajom

Amodu, as a football coach has qualified his country for the FIFA World Cup twice, and twice, he was rejected and denied his rightful place on the bench of the Super Eagles. First it was Korea/Japan 2002 and later, South Africa 2010.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Coach Amodu Shaibu, Consultant and Technical Adviser, Football Development, Edo State after his appointment, yesterday.Acknowledging that Amodu’s 2010 Nations Cup squad was not the best Nigeria expected, the Nigeria Football Federation was up with a proposal that could have seen Amodu’s technical crew fortified instead of outright rejection. With the limited time to the World Cup, the NFF was ready to bring in the likes of Keshi and others, but the Presidential Task Force insisted on hiring a foreign coach for the Eagles.

One of the few right-thinking Nigerians who saw everything wrong with the injustice meted out to Amodu was Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.

Oshiomole, a labour veteran who has fought many battles against injustice even made a representation to the presidency over Amodu’s plight. He lamented the hiring of a foreign replacement for Amodu as brazen ‘robbery’ and denial of Amodu’s rights.

In keeping faith with the Edo state born coach, Governor Oshiomhole Tuesday approved the appointment of the former national team coach, Amodu Shaibu as consultant and technical adviser for the revival of football in the state’s education sector.

The state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole announced the appointment Tuesday, during the presentation ceremony of the report by the committee set up by the state government for the revival of football in educational institutions in the state.

According to the governor, Edo State must reclaim its leadership role in sports and football in particular.
“We have a duty to the youths as well as to create an enabling environment and support and hopefully they would become world stars in the future. To this effect, we have appointed Coach Amodu Shuaibu as Consultant and Technical Adviser to handle this project and provide the leadership”, he noted.

While calling on the youths in the state to take advantage of the scheme, Comrade Oshiomhole disclosed that the stadium was now ready for commissioning.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Miss Iziegbe Anita Evbuomwan, while presenting the report, said it is a blue print for the development of football in primary, secondary and tertiary schools.
In an interview, Coach Amoudu Shaibu thanked the governor and the people of the state for the appointment.