May God never give us an Obasanjo again,” I once prayed on this column. President Obasanjo was then on his last days in office and the review of sports under his tenure was a sad commentary.

We usually start well. We usually proffer workable solutions but like an intractable terminal disease, everything we say to promote growth of our football fades away just as the euphoria of starting afresh dims.

For the sake of Nigeria I may not be tired of repeating myself. I am happy that Stephen Keshi has said so much about the need for us to return to our league.

Two days after we left the Upper Room in Emmanuel Town, Emeka Amadi was named one of the coaches of the national Under 17 squad. He is to handle goal keepers’ training.

Today, the Executive Board of Nigeria Football Federation will take position on the decision of their Technical Committee.

I have received calls to repeat the column I wrote on the eve of the 2-2 draw Eagles played with Guinea on October 8, the clumsy game that nailed our hope of qualifying for the 2012 Nations Cup. Prince Osuagwu, a colleague in the office, says it’s a pity that those in charge rarely read. He is among those who feel strongly about the piece on October 7.

Ota Egefere is my friend and a regular reader of this column. He is also a great follower of sports especially football.He called me on Tuesday to say the following: Please, tell Samson Siasia to field local players in the midfield against Guinea on Saturday. The match will come up at 2pm. The weather will be harsh to our Europe-based players. I fear that after about thirty minutes many of them would have fagged out.

The ovation was still loud when Patrick Ekeji stood from his chair, turned to me and said “this is good for sports.”I waited to hear more from him but he looked sideways and repeated, “This is good for sports, this is good for sports.”

I should be directing this to the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN but it may also interest Patrick Ekeji, the Director-General of the National Sports Commission.

May I start with Lagos State.They are the hosts of the next National Sports Festival. They saw the opening and closing ceremonies of the Garden City Games in Port Harcourt.