Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has revealed plans by federal government to partner private investors to restore Obafemi Awolowo Stadium back its lost glory.
Speaking during his inspection of the stadium on Saturday, Enoh, who was not pleased with the dilapidated condition of infrastructure at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium which is the first stadium in Africa, said the ministry of sports will soon begin work on the stadium in making sure the stadium comes back to life, adding it’s a challenge to the Federal Government to do the needful.
“We don’t have to wait until we get hosting rights for an international competition before we put this edifice back in place, but the time is now to reshape our stadia across the country,” Enoh said.
Speaking further, the former lawmaker, who said his motive of visiting the former liberty stadium was to see the state of things himself and begin a proper plan for the face lift, said “I think it is important for me to be here, important to have the first hand feel of the state of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium. The first thing I did when I came into the main bowl of the stadium, was to ask the question, when last was a football match played on this turf? And the answer was of course last played in 1999 more or less. I asked the question for good reasons because of the state of things I found.
“As a country, I don’t think we have ever been in lack for a facility like this, stadium built in 1960, the first in Nigeria and at some time first in Africa. The stadium has everything and I can still see it, the only thing is that the state of facility of every sports is not encouraging but you could still see the thirst and desire of Nigerian youths especially engaging in different facilities, making the most they can make of what they still have.
“We have the responsibility and obligations to get these facilities to be up to speed in order for them not to suffer any disadvantages with their counterparts in any part of the country or Africa or the world at large.
“We are going to come up with different partnership and collaboration with individual, institutions, private sectors that can turn the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium to modern facilities in all aspect to make it fully functional for the usage of the people.”
On what to expect, Enoh promised that he is going to ensure that the stadium will be restored back to his lost glory.
“I’m going to ensure that something is done like never before to turn this stadium around. If I stay back in Abuja, just receiving reports, I will not feel the way I do now that I have come and see. I promise that every arrangement is going to put on the ground to make sure we begin the processes towards making sure the stadium come back to life,” Enoh said.
During the visit, Enoh inspected the main bowl, swimming pool centre, indoor halls, hostel, training pitch and gym centre as well as Kayrom Lee Gym and Fitness Centre.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
