By Barnabas Augustine
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has attributed Nigeria's recent medal drought at the Paris Olympics to a lack of training facilities, rather than a deficiency in athlete talent.
He made this statement while receiving a courtesy visit from the President of the Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday at Government House, Yola.
The governor, recently awarded Best Governor for Infrastructure Development in Nigeria for his second term, challenged key stakeholders to prioritise the development of sporting facilities.
"I cannot attribute our lack of medals to a lack of talent," Governor Fintiri said.
"I blame it on the lack of facilities provided to develop this talent by the Nigerian government.
"This doesn't just mean the federal government; even local governments can take responsibility for providing facilities to nurture young people's talents.
"It's a requirement for all of us to invest in. By investing in sport, we are investing in young, dynamic, and talented youth."Governor Fintiri thanked the NFF President for visiting Adamawa to encourage the development of a suitable sporting facility. He noted that the state had never had a stadium until his administration decided to complete an abandoned one.
Adamawa, he said, is blessed with abundant talent, and the key to showcasing this talent to the world is to build a first-class facility for athletes to excel.
He announced that the second phase of the stadium under construction will accommodate other sports, and the governor sees this as a way to combat poverty by employing people in the sports industry.
He called on the NFF President to provide expert input on the stadium's design, ensuring it meets world-class standards. Once completed, the stadium will be home to Adamawa United Football Club Governor Fintiri emphasised.
The governor revealed that the stadium is scheduled for completion by March next year, two months ahead of the contractual deadline.
Earlier, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, thanked Governor Fintiri for embarking on the construction of a suitable sporting facility in the state. He pledged to support football activities in Adamawa to attract global attention and expressed optimism that the Adamawa State stadium would rival the Uyo Township Stadium.
Alhaji Gusau highlighted the contributions of Adamawa citizens to Nigerian football, including three in committee of referees and Justin Madugu, Assistant coach for the Super Falcons.
He encouraged Governor Fintiri to organise an U17 Governor's Cup to identify potential national team players.