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| Auwal Danjuma, |
By Akeem Busari.
Auwal Danjuma, a foremost grassroots football promoter has blamed the NFF over the lack of funds to execute its programmes.
Speaking with the press in his expansive office in Apapa, Lagos, the Managing Director of Trans - Asmad Nigeria Limited, Auwal Danjuma, attributed the perennial paucity of funds to the inability of the country's football administrators to attract foreign and local investment to Nigerian football.
"Football is big globally. It is a multi billion dollars business and unfortunately, we have not been able to take advantage of it," Danjuma lamented.
The businessman who is also the President of Lagos based non league side, Unique Sport football club, admonished the NFF to move away from its complaints and become proactive by coming up with attractive and sustainable programmes that would inevitably attract investors to help the development of the local game.
"The NFF needs sponsorship. You can't continue to wait on the government for funds every time you have a programme. The fact is that before corporate bodies would come into any sort of venture, it must be convinced beyond reasonable doubts that your programmes are workable.
He continued ; " Therefore, the NFF must equip its marketing department with experienced and result - oriented people. It is no gain, saying that money is the name of the game all over the world. Let's not blame the likes of Dangotes who want to invest in foreign teams like Arsenal, "he added.
Speaking further, the Kano born sports philanthropist commended the efforts of the LMC on the improved Nigerian football league, that has also attracted local and foreign partners to the local game.
" I believe the local league has improved tremendously and l want to commend Mallam Shehu Dikko and the LMC. Despite the global economic downturn and particularly,the recent recession in the country, the LMC have been able to attract partners to help the growth of the league. Maybe, the NFF should borrow the same template in order to reduce its financial pains, " Danjuma added.