Nigeria needs N1bn to revive tennis –Abdullahi
Former Nigerian tennis player, Sadiq Abdullahi, says Nigeria will need about N1 billion to revive the game in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abdullahi and other former leading players living abroad, have expressed concern over the dwindling fortunes of tennis in the country.
Abdullahi, who is currently in the country to start work on the project, said that the project would help to improve the standard of the game in Nigeria.
He told NAN last Thursday in Kaduna, where he is conducting a clinic for young players and coaches, that huge capital was needed to meet the demands of the game at the grassroots.
Abdullahi said the clinic was a prelude to the project.
``We have organised the clinic in Abeokuta, Kaduna and the Lagos government has also invited us to organise one there.
``We will make use of coaches and all who have availed themselves during the clinic to commence the Nigerian Tennis Project, which will gulp about N1 billion,'' he said.
Abdullahi, a professor at the University of Florida in the U.S, appealed to government to show commitment to the project by encouraging the private sector to invest in it.
He described sports as ``money driven'', attributing the successes recorded in sports by developed countries to the huge investment they committed to the sport.
He said that money was required to provide infrastructure at the grassroots and refurbish decaying facilities.
The former player said the project promoters intended to raise the money by partnering with the three tiers of government and some private sector organisations.
Abdullahi, who left Nigeria on tennis scholarship 30 years ago, said he had ``enough experience and expertise to turn tennis around in the country.
``I am working on this project with Segun Odegbami, who is handling the technical aspect of it. We intend to also establish partnerships with tennis academies in the country,’’ he said.
The tennis expert said that the biggest challenge facing the project was securing government's commitment and raising the required funds.
He, however, expressed confidence that the project would be a success.
``It is a big challenge but we hope to overcome it because our project tallies with the vision of the Sports Minister, Sani Ndanusa, who is also the President of the tennis federation,'' he said