Football Is More - Let's Take A Closer Look At It In Nigeria.

In not-so-long distance future, crude oil will no longer be in demand. We all know this, there's a bleak forsaken future if Nigeria continues to run a mono-economy largely dependent on this black gold.

The terrorist attacks, militancy, kidnapping, Arm robbery and several agitations manifesting in our landscape today, are aftermath of failed governance to provide for its people and to bring about unity as well as synergy in the country's several national diversity.

As government is looking at possible ways of diversifying the economy and solving several socio-political issues that have bedeviled our country today,  Shehu Dikko, chairman of League Management Company (LMC) tries to get attention of participants at the last Nigeria Economic Summit...to take a closer look at the potentials of football sport in the country. He presented a paper titled: FOOTBALL IS MORE.

You've probably heard: Football is Big Business. In fact, if you're still wondering today whether or not football can really solve anything in our present predicament then,  you're asking the wrong question. The power of football in our modern-day living cannot be under estimated any further.

The way we see and treat football must change!
Yes, football is a form of exercise for healthy living; football is a tool for youth and social development..helping the younger ones channel their energy into a more resourceful training of the mind and physical body. Football provide unequalled entertainment to a large number of the population. Yes, football does all that and even more.

Although, Nigerians are crazy football consumers, we have not in anyway explore the potentials of the sport as Big Business, Tool for National unity and tool for branding the country.

1. Football is big business of global magnititude. If goverment set up the right laws and build economic structures to support it, then we will watch football grow into a serious industry.

We have the market... Over 80 million active football consumers and users in the country. If government create the enabling environment that will foster serious foreign and local investments... football have the potential to gainfully employ over 10 million youths and contribute significantly to our country's GDP.

2. Football is a tool for national Unity. The power of football to bring together the diverse tribes and religions in the country is something incredible. For imstance, only when the Nigeria national team play a match that you can find everyone Nigerian come together in unity to support our country.

Government should take advantage of this silent tool for national orientation and for communicating vital information to the people. Government should use football as a vehicle to communicate and positively touch the mind of the people.

3. Football is tool for branding the country: We can work to put it in mind of the global community to see Nigeria as an incredible footballing country rather than a people fantastically corrupt.

Football breed positive energy among Peoples of different countries. It create friendship and strategic association with the global community. We cannot continue to neglect a sport with such unbeatable potentials.