We must do something about our sports culture – Mitchel Obi

By Esther Egbe

Leader of the Africa body of sports journalists, Mitchell Obi, has urged Chairman of SWAN, Lagos Chapter ,Fred Edoreh, not to look back on his aspiration to emerge President of Nigeria by mobilising the mass of people to bring the circus of political deceit and underdevelopment affecting the nation to a permanent stop.

Obi made  the call from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, where he is covering the Asia Indoor and Martial Arts Games.

He said he had been saddened by the situation in Nigeria but is lifted up by the prospect of a sports journalist leading the mobilisation for a  break from the ugly past.

Mitchell told National Daily that “If you happen to visit Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, you would shed tears for our beloved country Nigeria.

“Your message seeking support came at the exact time when I was ruminating on why, where and how we got it all wrong to betray the splendid dream of our Independence engineers.

“With the same resources of Gas and gasoline, a leadership, out of hopelessness and a deep heritage of battle scars, gingerly built up a city which only a dream mind can envisage. With 5 billion dollars the leadership here put on an Olympic Village which is simply a marvel and built a city that conjures glimpses of a paradise with human phase.

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“As I write, it is with pain that in my time we may never get to where this country surrounded by warring neighbours have cultivated a garden fit only for a dream night of honeymoon. No exaggeration.

“I have travelled the world like a small knight in a tournament and I dare  say doing the little things right like it is here exalts a nation.

“One may not fancy the politics or the high security checks but remember no one buys or get gold and keep it for the pigs.

“We must do something about our nation and our sporting culture must be alive to provide a cutting edge for the establishment of development goals and their sustainability.

“Frantz Fanon could not have captured it better…every generation must discover its mission and either fulfill it or betray it. “