A retired Nigerian footballer and UEFA B Licensed Coach, Obiora Aniche, has called for urgent investment in sports facilities across the country, warning that the lack of standard training infrastructure is hindering the development of young talents in Nigeria.
Obiora made the appeal while speaking with journalists during an inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation of the football pitch at Model Technical College, a project he is personally sponsoring in Asaba, Delta State.
According to the former football star, Nigeria remains blessed with abundant sporting talents, but the absence of quality training and playing facilities continues to deny many young athletes the opportunity to develop into world-class professionals.
The former HJK Helsinki player, who won the Finnish Championship in 1997, lamented the gradual disappearance of open recreational spaces that once served as breeding grounds for grassroots football development.
“During our time, we had many open spaces and community fields where young people could gather freely to play football and other sports. Today, most of those spaces have disappeared and have been replaced with buildings and other structures,” he said.
Obiora stressed that meaningful collaboration between government, private investors and sports stakeholders would be necessary if Nigeria hopes to regain its lost glory in football and other sporting activities.
Explaining the motivation behind the rehabilitation project, the former Fegge FC and Udoji United player said he was moved by the difficulties teams and athletes in Asaba face in securing suitable training venues.
“Whenever I am in town and visit the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, for my personal training sessions, I see many football teams and athletes roaming around in search of spaces to train.
That situation inspired me to step in and contribute in my own little way,” he added. The upgrade of the Model Technical College football field involves ground leveling, grassing and provision of a watering system to ensure an all-year-round grass maintenance.
Following the inspection of the school pitch project, Obiora led members of the inspection team, including his Finnish associate and consultant, Makke Martikainen, alongside Lagos-based sports development consultant, Olisemeka Obi, to the site of his proposed sports village project located at Akwukwu-Igbo in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State.
He disclosed that the proposed sports village would feature a modern stadium, camping hostels and other sporting facilities designed to meet international standards. According to him, the facility is intended to serve as a training and camping centre for football teams and athletes from within and outside the country.
Obiora revealed that the project, which spans over 35 plots of land, would be developed to European standards, adding that the land acquisition process had already been completed.
“The land has already been secured, and fencing work will commence soon. Discussions and partnership arrangements with foreign partners are also nearing completion,” he stated.
Beyond his football career, Obiora is widely known for his philanthropic activities and support for grassroots sports development. The Ogbaru-born sports enthusiast is a member of the Coal City Football Legends and the Onitsha Ex-Players in Diaspora Association.
Apart from supporting indigent ex-footballers, he also sponsors several grassroots football competitions in Asaba, Onitsha and Ogbaru as part of his commitment to youth and sports development in Nigeria.
