FG, state govts charged to make sports attractive

‎The federal and state governments have been charged to make the sports sector attractive for corporate bodies and private individuals to key into.

The President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Mr. Francis Orbih made the call in Ilorin while featuring on a Radio Kwara Personality Interview Programme “Playing Host”.

Orbih also stressed the need for government to create enabling environment for the sector by ensuring adequate maintenance culture of infrastructural facilities in the country’s stadia to secure the confidence of would-be private investors and corporate bodies.

According to him, “government funds sports in Nigeria, but we realized that government cannot solely fund sports, hence the need for the private sector to take over the sponsorship.

There is need government to however create the enabling environment for the private sector by maintaining the existing infrastructure and facilities in all our stadia.

Private individuals cannot afford the cost of building stadium, so we need to maintain the existing ones”.

The President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria noted that the federation would commence its activities next month by organizing a retreat towards mapping out strategies to make badminton popular like football and basketball.

Orbih, who is also the Chairman of Lagos State Badminton Federation, added that as part of efforts geared towards repositioning badminton in Nigeria, the federation would create awareness and value for the sport in partnership with the media.

He assured that more sporting events would be organized in line with sports entertainment to attract investors and stakeholders.

Orbih explained that when he assumed office, the federation adopted a mantra aimed to repositioning badminton for sustainable development and growth.

The BFN boss further revealed that they will soon create a badminton Hall of Fame to celebrate key stakeholders in the administration of the sport, past heroes and heroines as well as veterans in badminton.