By Paul Bassey
Whenever I tell my friends that I am not a politician, they laugh and quote the trite which says “ Every man is a political animal”

For a lot of people, politics is a profession. Some say it is a calling. For me, as a Nigerian, politics can be frightening. It does not obey any empirical data. Its science is not defined. So I stay away.

A friend tried to puncture that “ What about sports? What about the Sudan that you went to recently and the politics that was played there? What is the difference?”

The politics of sports is not bloody. It is without bitterness. Winners and losers hug instantly……..
He interjected. “ The wound of the heart is the bloodiest wound of all. The betrayal and back stabbing. Hugs that are superficial do not heal in a hurry….”

Whether he is right or wrong, I woke up Thursday morning not very convinced that the current political environment is pro sports.

I woke up realizing that my culture medium was not getting the attention it deserves   as we plan towards the next four years of our life as a nation.

I got my staff to study the manifestoes of the political parties for sports inputs and what I have on my table is what makes my friend Sam John refer to ministries of youth and sports as “ Ministry of small children and play play”

So I called friends and family together and told them I was going to run, that I have decided to go into politics for sports sake.

Those who know my stand on politics laughed. Others asked which political party I was going to pitch tent with.

I said for me to now decide to run can only reveal the seriousness of the occasion.

Political party?  Sports is party less. I will campaign under the banner of the masses. No gender, no tribe, no religion.

If I am voted into office, sports will become a major industry that will benefit our youth no end. A veritable foreign exchange earner.

When I am voted into office, I will export our youth to all parts of the world, send them out as missionaries, ambassadors, sports jihadists, go and conquer the world and bring the spoils back to mother land,

Whenever I sit back and watch major sports events like the Olympics, I see a Chukwuemeka representing Canada. An Idowu represents Britain and a Musa flies the colours of Bahrain. Never again.

Nigerians will not be allowed to go out on their own. We will send them out and guarantee their return.
Tennis players will be sent to the US ( Sickening that since the days of Nduka Odizor, no Nigerian player is in the circuit, not even down the ladder at 2000th position”

I will send table tennis hopefuls to China, Basketball players to the US, swimmers to Australia and boxers to Cuba. Long distance racers will go to Kenya.

I will send them out at impressionable ages, send them out with coaches and parents to acquire knowledge on and off the sports ground.

Do you therefore have a potential star in your family? Bring him or her to me, vote for me!

When I am voted into office, every local government in this country will have a functional mini stadium of about 6,000 capacity with an adjoining all purpose sports hall.

Recently in Sudan, CAF President Issa  Hayatou pondered the dilemma of Libya and the hosting of the African Youth Championship and said that he was happy that there are countries in Africa who at the drop of a hat can host major tournaments because of the availability of sporting infrastructure in their domain.

He mentioned Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Yes, but how many states in Nigeria can truly stand and claim such an accolade?

Delta, Lagos, Ogun……. .how many states have up to three or four functional stadiums, how many states have Olympic sized swimming pools dotted all over? What about gymnasiums, boxing rings and basket and volley ball courts?

Recently, the Nigeria Premier League had to take a bold step by sending all her clubs to what is referred to in local parlance as “television friendly pitches” the direct meaning of that is that there are states in this country that do not have even ONE good stadium. So they end up playing their matches outside their traditional home base devoid of a solid and supportive fan base.

Can we compare that to the situation in Europe and North Africa where clubs have their own playing and sporting facilities?

Vote for me.

I read recently that the sports minister Professor Taoheed Adedoja has ordered the National Institute of Sports ( NIS ) to relocate to Abuja. Fair. But can we not establish such institutes in all the sports zones of this country? When I assume office, I will ask the wrestling federation to move immediately to Bayelsa.

Swimming will go to Rivers ( Haba where else?) weightlifting goes to Akwa Ibom, table tennis to Lagos.
I will summon the leadership of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, ask them to take the endurance and long distance races  to Jos, the North, and let them advise me what they want to do with the remaining arms of their sport. Imo will take back their hand ball.

Vote for me.
When you vote for me, sports will return to the school curricula. No new school will be approved if it has not got sufficient space for recreation and halls where volleyball, basketball and handball can be practiced. Our children have become morons. “Pepperless” as we are wont to say, sedentary hours on end in front of the computer, surfing into iniquity.

Inter secondary and university games will be reintroduced. Sports festivals will not be ceremonial events and medal winning jamborees, held only on the whims and caprices of state governments who now determine when such will be held. No!

When I am voted into office, Nigerians will occupy prominent positions in continental and world sports governing bodies just as coaches and umpires will be exposed to regular clinics, seminars and work shops to update their knowledge.

Vote me into office and Nigeria will win the world cup!
Which of the world cups?
Any.

If for instance I identify a good coach and put him in charge of some brilliant nine year olds, either in an academy or a school, put them together,  create some substitution and elimination windows, tell me whether they will not be world beaters in eight years of co habiting and playing together.

When I come to power, reward structures will be amplified. Coaches that can comb the grass roots to discover talents in any sports will be rewarded handsomely, in cash .

The glory days of sport councils and sports directors will be back, different from the present age of political appointees called sports commissioners who do not know why a coach will want to travel with twelve players for a football match where only eleven are needed.

When I am voted into office, no one will be appointed into a key sports position based on  the accident of regional or geographical birth. Sports will be run by tested sports people. No one will come from Imo and claim Katsina for the purpose of winning an election. You must have paid your dues, garnered experience enough to aspire to lead.

Maybe I should not reveal too much so that my opponents do not steal my ideas. All you need for a better sports future for Nigeria is me.

Thank you in advance for your vote.

For Dudu Orumen
Men don’t cry. Should not cry. But Dudu did, Saturday morning. Who will not weep that has lost his mother?

The text was as brief as it was shocking  “my mother is dead”
When I put a call through, he was inconsolable. Pull yourself together dear friend and brother. Who God loves, He wants by His side.

FIFA sends me to Ghana.
As much as I would have loved to stay back and contribute towards the total annihiliation of Ethiopia this week end, FIFA has appointed me Match Commissioner for the Olympic qualifier between Ghana and Sudan in Accra.

See you next week.