Jonathan: Sports alone will deliver 2million jobs

President Goodluck praying. Act first sir.

I sometimes wonder what quality of human minds tender the speeches of our senior government officials. It’s like they have fleeting minds designed to easily forget things and even activities in which they get involved in.

I feel so ashamed that in the President’s budget speech at the National Assembly, he promised that his government will create 100,000 new jobs in 2012. Whereas, I do know that with proper organization, the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) alone will gulp that figure with little or no stress.

I do know well too that the Nigerian sports industry alone which is estimated to be worth N185billion per annum has not yet inkled to 1% of that value. Sports being what is anywhere else is not government business cannot be done well and delivered as a government business.

That informed why the PDP governments since 1999 when democracy returned to the country had set up three panels in the industry where they had told government what needs to be done. These included the Samuel Ogbemudia, Ishola Williams and Samson Emeka Omeruah committees. The reports had shown the government what needed to be done which included having a functional National Sports Commission (NSC) that is thoroughly professional.

As it is, no one is thinking straight to advise the Federal Government that it’s business to stimulate that region and maximize the gains remains what is left.

No one is being altruistic. This is one industry rather than be expending tax payers’ monies is supposed to be a big money earner to the public till. Some goons are used to pilfering the little yearly appropriation and would die to have the status quo retained.

SPECIAL ADVISER ON SPORTS: I recall that I once muted this idea when President Umar Musa Yar’Adua was alive. Then, Dr. Amos Adamu’s name suddenly emerged and there was a consensus to say we don’t want the person. In view of the urgent national interests at stake now, it is obvious that we need the President to consider quickly and appoint a Special Adviser that will deliver the two million jobs with a task-performance and time-line management principle.

I repeat again, sports alone will deliver the two million jobs. This Special Adviser must be one who knows and understands the economics of sports. He will drive the new policy and deliver the two million jobs.

A right direction and depth of delivery of these tasks alone will mobilise no less than 5million children and youths at the level of sports participation. We will be able to inculcate in them the leadership and competitive values and abilities. They will derive greater citizenship, loyalty and faith in the nation.

Haba! Was the President himself not the special guests at a presidential forum where the issues were discussed, trashed and a framework arrived at inside the banquet hall of the Villa last year?

Egg heads and the who-is-who gathered at the one-day event. It was resolved that about 8million jobs can be created. Where are all the government people that attended the forum? Can’t they make these ideas and papers available to their principal?

Methinks and seriously too, our biggest weapon of international diplomacy even before the political independence of the nation is sports. It has been dwindling. It is becoming a dinosaur.

Somebody please wake up the President. His winning gambit in being left out. To reposition back, please scout your database, pick a special adviser on sports, give him a time-line and performance-based appointment.

Take South Africa whose population is about 30% of ours. What their football industry spends per season is far more than what we spend in the entire sports industry here. 85% of their funding comes from the private sector.

Yet, we have a bigger sphere to be more successful. We have more population, a thriving private sector, better human resources and base to utilize these function. We are simply captives of a thieving system that does not want change. A microcosm of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will show you what I mean.

To take the bull by the horn, the Federal Government and the PDP must know what is correct, right and proper to do. Take a gambit and use sports while you fix the other zones, create two million jobs in sports alone and see how much the Organised Private Sector (OPS) will deliver.

This single move will give hope and a guaranteed future to 5million youths, the volume of crime and criminality will drastically crash.

You, yes sir, you are your own greatest enemy. No one but you can engage the gear, move this vehicle out of the woods and drive on turbo to the Eldorado expected by the millions who invested their votes on you. Remember, time, yes, time is not your friend. This move requires the speed athletes employ in delivering their tasks. You need a greater value of adrenalin to be a radical in the posturing to deliver these gains. Restiveness is high. Pains are much in the economy. Millions of graduates have finished youth service and are roaming the streets looking for work.   

People, including Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have expressed fears of an Arab spring type of protestation in Nigeria. We are very close to it.

Mr. President, can’t you prove them wrong? So many Nigerians see you as a man who has no mind of his own. Become a coach sir. Coaches take radical decisions on the spur of the moment that will mar or make the game in their hands. If these efforts must yield dividend, you decide in a jiffy, I can swear that the effects would have started being felt everywhere by March 2012. However, you must decide NOW and TODAY. 

Are your people not worthy of a good life? Why and how did Samuel Ogbemudia did it in the old Bendel State? Did then Colonel George Agbazika Innih not planted the same seed in Kwara? Is China, Jamaica, Namibia, UK, Germany not fully involved in using sports to make their youths have a good orientation and future. That is why their youths are so patriotic.

Mr. President, you can do more. You can employ two million youths in the next 12 months from here practically at no real overhead cost to the government. You can bring happiness and joy to two million families at prime salaries and allowances far higher and beyond what obtains in the pedestrian civil service in the country.

Mr. President, give your people a breathe of fresh air. This requires you to change so many ways of things being done. That way, yes, is the only way the air will change and become fresh. Game over.