Late Amaka Igwe’s daughter, Ruby Igwe has openly taken to
her Facebook page where he told Nigerian richest man, and ofcourse African
richest to please invest in Nigerian football instead of buying Arsenal.
Below
is what Ruby wrote on her Facebook page
Dear Mr. Dangote. Of course you should buy the Gunners. It’s
a sound investment to invest in football, I think financially. And of course in
terms of reputation, having a stake in a club is epic. And of course you have
the cash. That’s indisputable. However, I have two propositions for you. Please
buy Manchester United instead. Just because. If you don’t want to, that’s fine.
But if you have change, after the Gunners, invest in the football in Nigeria. I
can assure you that it’s not only in the UEFA Champions League, or the English
Premier League, or La Liga, or Bundesliga, that you will find good soccer. What
these leagues have in common is solid financial backing, and solid
infrastructure.
They have created an internationally celebrated, culturally
appreciated, economically viable system. As such, I find solace in my red Man
Utd shirt. I watch David de Gea‘s saves in awe, and I want very much to go to
Old Trafford. I feast on the history and the statistics that I find about
George Best and Alex Ferguson and David Beckham, and I can’t count how many
times Manchester United has broken my heart. I digress. If you invest in the
football in Nigeria, maybe people will feel the way they feel about Chelsea,
Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United; about Enyimba. Maybe my mates
will make good money playing for Nigeria’s local and national teams. Maybe
watching football and sports live in Lagos and Lafia will become a favourite
past time.
Maybe we will know more Nigerian players by name and not
because of what non-national club they play for. Maybe there won’t be that much
traffic every time in Lagos because the stadiums will be packed full. Maybe the
clothing and manufacturing industries will be revived by making jerseys and
other memorabilia. Maybe students can find modes of expression and survival in
sports in general, instead of trying to conform to what they are not. So Sir.
Please do Nigeria a favour and invest in the infrastructure of our football.
Invest in change. Don’t just donate, in case it becomes pocket-oriented. Don’t
make a local investment. Go hard. Go national. Consult people, including
football fanatics, and layout a battle plan. Invest in our football and follow
your investment until you see the sizeable returns that can and will actualize.
Invest in generations to come. Nigeria will thank you.
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