Sports

TINUBU LAMBAST DELE MOMODU

Published

2 years ago

October 24, 2022

By Abdulateef Bamgbose

The All Progressive Congress ( APC), presidential Candidate Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, has called out Dele Momodu, one time presidential aspirant and chieftain of the People Democratic Party( PDP) over his critique of ” APC ‘s action plan, renewed hope”

In a statement signed by Festus Kayemo, the Director of public Affairs and Chief spokesperson, Tinubu/Shetima presidential campaign council released on Monday entitled ” PDP’S JUVENILE CRITIQUE OF APC’S ACTION PLAN, RENEWED HOPE.” States that
“It appears the Peoples Democratic Party is unaware that Nigerians have since dismissed it as an unserious and broken opposition party. If nothing at all, its latest press release signed by Chief Dele Momodu attests to its crass unseriousness.”

“The PDP’s attempt to pooh-pooh our Action Plan only ended up as nothing but a joke. Even more pathetic and disastrous is the situation Chief Momodu has found himself today. That is, having to stage a complete somersault in a cheap hatchet job against our highly revered candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, simply because he needed to impress his new paymasters. Let us remind the turncoat, Dele Momodu of what he said about the same Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu only on October 26, 2019 in a column published in Thisday newspaper entitled, “Bola Tinubu And His Date With Destiny In 2023”:

“I have no illusions that Tinubu will definitely perform as President of Nigeria, if he ever contests and wins. He has a knack for identifying brilliant minds and fertile brains, and the ability to nurture them to greatness.

He has demonstrated this repeatedly and almost endlessly. Examples abound without doubt.”He stated What is obvious is according to him is ” that even the hirelings of the PDP like Momodu are clear believers in Asiwaju’s ability and capacity to deliver on his promises but have decided to play politics this time around.” Continued he said ” our expectation is that our ACTION PLAN would inspire other political parties, especially the intellectually bankrupt PDP, to engage us constructively on the initiatives and programmes we intend to implement.

True to type, PDP has again reacted, in our view, without even reading the content on the document. All they are interested in is the title of our message, not the quality of our ideas. We are extremely amused, but not entirely shocked. This only demonstrates once again their incurable incapacity to act as a credible opposition to the ruling party.”

“Dele Momodu should have rather stayed in his accustomed lane of praise-singing socialites and the likes instead of dabbling in the more demanding job of critiquing policy statements. It is clearly not his forte! The quality of his recent write-up is a testament that his team is not made up of experts in governance and policy formulation. He must have gathered his team of photographers and video editors to read through a document that is far beyond their tabloid-centred minds.”

“One would have expected Dele Momodu to make clear comparative analyses between Hope ‘93 campaign document of MKO Abiola and the Renewed Hope document of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He goofed miserably. He was just huffing and puffing without substance. A write-up that was intended to be a critique of a document on its supposed lack of details ended up itself as an empty shell.” “We are surprised that Dele Momodu could ask what our candidate is known for. Since he has asked either out of self denial or selective amnesia, we will answer him with his exact words in the past.

Hear him in another portion of the aforementioned article: “Tinubu assembled a fantastic team of technocrats and created the gargantuan master plan for modern Lagos”.

Dele Momodu has lived in Lagos for more than three decades. He surely knows the state of Lagos pre and post 1999. He has praised, on many occasions and at different fora, the imperishable legacies and monumental milestones of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos. In the same piece, Momodu narrated how Asiwaju Tinubu began the “systematic and robust increase of Lagos’ Internally Generated Revenue, making the state one of the richest self-sustaining governments in Africa”, and how “he single-handledly (sic) revived and revamped Local Governments in Lagos and brought developments to practically every part of the state.” Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is known for “his glittering records and achievements in both private and public sectors”.

Can Dele Momodu also say this about his principal, Atiku Abubakar, whose time as Vice President has no other legacy to be remembered for other than the failed privatization exercise he was assigned to supervise where he sold national assets to his friends and cronies for peanuts? Should we remind you, Dele Momodu, of the distasteful remarks made by Fmr. President Olusegun Obasanjo on your party’s flag-bearer as Vice President? Of course, track records should be critical in evaluating any party or candidate. If we may ask Dele Momodu, what are your party’s track records? When the country had substantial receipts from crude oil export, your party squandered it all. PDP represent what the Yoruba proverbially call “Arungun”

(squanderer). They promised the people of South-East Second Niger Bridge for 16 years, yet, nothing was built. Today, thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari of APC, the Second Niger Bridge is completed. At a time, a former spokesperson of your government said Nigeria couldn’t afford train coaches, much less rail lines. Today, we have Lagos – Ibadan, Itakpe – Warri rail lines. Even in the face of dwindling resources and global economic challenges, we have lifted millions of Nigerians out of poverty with our National Social Investment Programs, widely acclaimed as the first in Africa in scale and innovation. Nigeria has become a sufficient rice-growing nation, rated highest in rice and sorghum production in Africa by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a status PDP thought was impossible.

“Our efforts in power generation and distribution is yielding good results, unlike the $16 billion squandered by PDP under Obasanjo under the guise of power projects with nothing to show for it. Pledges made by PDP governments are being redeemed by our party. Pensions and other entitlements of workers in PDP’s failed privatisation scam have been paid up to date. Sure, like Dele Momodu once said before he took up his new mercenary job from PDP, Asiwaju has “too many technocrats to pick his team from.”

He is surrounded by “brilliant, intelligent, accomplished and cosmopolitan leaders” across all sectors, spheres and walks of life. He will hit the ground running when he takes over power in May 2023, by the grace of God and most Nigerians.

“He did in Lagos state, he will assemble “quality and talented leaders” in his cabinet that will see to the delivery of our campaign promises. On the contrary, the 5-point agenda of the flag bearer of the PDP is nothing to write home about. Top on the list is his lip service to unify Nigeria. We can only laugh. This is a man that his party is torn between division and disarray. Till now, he is yet to fix it. What a failure! His 74-page campaign document has in it ongoing milestones of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration. From lifting millions out of poverty to power generation to economy revitalization, it is clear that they are either too lazy to think or bereft of fresh ideas.

Everywhere Atiku went to, he was never caught speaking to issues of governance. Rather, if he is not promising the Igbo Presidency in 2027, he is playing the ethnic card (like in Kaduna). Nigerians are wise, they know he has nothing to offer.
Finally, Dele Momodu and his party failed woefully to point out a single example of the copy-and-paste he referred to in the press statement released by him. It was expected that he would have cited one example of an original document from which we copied and the portion in particular. In all, his press release is just a juvenile prose, bereft of details and substance, full of highfalutin nonsense and signifying nothing.” It concluded .

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Sports

What The NFF Stands To Gain from Carloha Partnership

Published

6 hours ago

February 21, 2025

The Gleamer

By Adeoye Adebola

The Ibrahim Gusau led Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been on a mission to revitalize football in Nigeria, aiming to strengthen the sport’s grassroots structure and enhance its competitive edge on the international stage. A strategic partnership with Carloha, a prominent player in the automotive industry, represents a significant step towards achieving these objectives. This collaboration is expected to yield multiple benefits, ranging from financial support and infrastructure development to talent nurturing and international exposure.

Speaking at the contract signing event, President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, highlighted the significance of private sector involvement in sports development: “We are excited to welcome Carloha on board as a key partner in our mission to elevate Nigeria football. With their support, we can further develop programmes that will benefit our teams and the millions of football lovers across the country.”

The signing ceremony was indeed a memorable occasion, bringing together the football and business communities in celebration of this milestone partnership.

As Carloha steps in to champion football development in Nigeria, this collaboration with the NFF is expected to open new opportunities for Nigeria football to thrive.

One of the most immediate and impactful benefits of the partnership between the NFF and Carloha is the injection of financial resources into Nigerian football. Sponsorship deals in sports are often structured to provide direct funding for operations, competitions, and developmental programs. For the NFF, this could translate into an enhanced Budget for the National teams to enhance their performance in Africa and the World at large.

Financial backing can be directed towards nurturing young talents across the country, offering better training facilities, coaching, and exposure to competitive tournaments.Regular funding ensures that the national teams, from junior levels to the Super Eagles, have the necessary resources for international competitions, including travel, accommodation, and advanced training camps.

The partnership could help the NFF stabilize its administrative costs, ensuring smooth operations and effective governance.

By securing a reliable revenue stream, the NFF can implement long-term development strategies without financial constraints.

Carloha, as an automotive company with a footprint in technology and logistics, can contribute to the development of football infrastructure in Nigeria. This could include:

•   Stadium Upgrades and Maintenance, training Centers and Academies, establishing state-of-the-art training facilities and football academies across Nigeria that would significantly enhance player development pathways, providing young footballers a conducive environment to hone their skills. Introducing advanced sports science tools, including performance analysis systems, injury management technology, and fitness tracking, that can optimize player's performance and reduce injury risks.

Nigeria is renowned for its abundant football talent, but a lack of structured developmental programs has hindered optimal player growth. The NFF-Carloha partnership can focus on Implementing nationwide scouting initiatives to identify young, gifted players in remote regions, ensuring no talent goes unnoticed. Designing training programs that not only enhance technical skills but also focus on tactical awareness, psychological development, and sportsmanship. Sponsoring youth leagues and tournaments will provide emerging players with competitive platforms to showcase their abilities, preparing them for international challenges.

By establishing a robust talent pipeline, the partnership would ensure a continuous supply of skilled footballers to the national teams.

For Carloha, partnering with the NFF is an opportunity to leverage football’s massive fan base in Nigeria, enhancing brand visibility and market penetration. Conversely, the NFF stands to benefit from:

•   Enhanced Media Exposure: With Carloha’s backing, the NFF can secure better media rights deals, increasing viewership and fan engagement through enhanced broadcast quality and digital platforms.
•   Merchandising and Commercialization: Joint branding initiatives can lead to the commercialization of team merchandise, generating additional revenue streams.
•   Social Media and Fan Engagement: The partnership can capitalize on digital marketing strategies to engage fans through interactive content, live streaming, and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage.

Effective marketing strategies can enhance the profile of Nigerian football, attracting
more fans and sponsors.

Carloha’s involvement in sports goes beyond financial sponsorship—it’s also about contributing positively to society. In partnership with the NFF, they can Implement football-related community programs, including building sports facilities in underprivileged areas. Introduce scholarship programs and educational workshops that empower young footballers academically and socially.

The football industry is a significant economic driver, and the NFF-Carloha partnership could stimulate Nigeria’s economy by, job creation, tourism boost, collaboration with local vendors for merchandise production, event management, and logistics that would stimulate small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The economic ripple effects of this partnership will positively impact various sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The partnership between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Carloha is a monumental step towards revolutionizing football development in Nigeria. It provides a multi-faceted platform for growth, encompassing financial support, infrastructure development, talent nurturing, and international exposure. By leveraging Carloha’s resources and expertise, the NFF is poised to achieve its vision of making Nigeria a football powerhouse, not only in Africa but on the global stage.

This partnership is more than just a sponsorship deal—it’s a collaborative effort to build a robust football ecosystem that empower players, coaches, and communities while driving economic growth and national pride.

With strategic implementation and a long-term vision, the NFF-Carloha partnership could set a benchmark for football development in emerging football nations worldwide.

(Adeoye Adebola is a public affairs analyst from Lagos)

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