Rep wants more corporate bodies to fund national teams

Category: Sports Published on Thursday, 14 February 2013 05:00 Written by Ben Atonko

A member of the House of Representatives and Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Spain and the Vatican City Dr Kingsley Sunny Ebenyi has called for financial support for the national teams from the corporate bodies and wealthy Nigerians.

The legislator praised the cash rewards to the Super Eagles team and its officials by the chairmen of Globacom, Otunba Mike Adenuga and Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote over the successful outing in the just concluded African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa; urged other wealthy individuals to emulate the patriotic gestures of both men.

A press release the legislative aide to the lawmaker, Mr Titus Agbo read, “I understand Chief Adenuga has gone further to offer to take over the salaries and emolument of the Chief Coach, these and much more should come from our corporate giants’ because government cannot shoulder the football and sports funding in general alone if we want to maintain the momentum”.

While congratulating the players and their technical crew for the feat, Honourable Ebenyi who represents Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency noted that the task ahead was still enormous and such efforts must be redoubled to build a formidable team for the Confederation Cup so that Nigeria becomes the first African Country to win the trophy.

According to him, “Nigeria by this feat has now become the cynosure of all eyes with the entire soccer world turning its attention once more back to Nigeria”

“Our success at the Confederation Cup later this year will further boost our chances at the 2014 world cup to be hosted by Brazil” he stressed adding that the Chief Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi must be given all the support he needed to build a world cup team with further injection of younger players.

Honourable also spoke of the need to closely monitor the management of the national league with a view to ensuring that Clubs are properly funded to be able to adequately remunerate and motivate players, noting the performance of Sunday Mba a home based players had shown that with proper management of the Clubs quality players could be raised for the national team.