Chairman of Oramah Football Academy, Abuja, Pat Oramah, says Nigeria will soon regain her rightful position as Champions in continental and global soccer if the current performances of her footballers outside the country are matched with dedicated grassroots soccer development through football academies. Oramah, in a congratulatory message to Victor Osimhen on his victory as the Best African Player in French Lique 1 season, said the 21-year-old striker is steadily stepping into the shoes left behind by soccer legends like Rashidi Yekini and Austin Jay Jay Okocha.
According to him, Nigeria sunk into its present unenviable position in soccer because of lack of continuity in grassroots soccer development and replacements for our already established international players.
Oramah explained that sports policy makers and administrators at states and national levels got carried away with the football conquests of former Super Eagles stars, thus, leaving them complacent and visionless.
“Instead of promoting and raising future replacements for these big stars through the promotion of grassroots soccer, age grade competitions, schools soccer tournaments, our administrators get complacent, lazy and visionless, concentrating only on scouting for the already made players instead of searching and raising future stars.
“This is why I want to commend the present minister of Sports Minister, Mr. Sunday Dare, on his focus on grassroots soccer development and I want to specially appeal to him to work harder in that direction in the interest of our nation, our youths and sports, the greatest unifying factor in the country.”
The Oramah Football Academy boss, who described Osimhen as “ a top striker, strong, skilful and full of potentials said there were a number of great players like him capable of replacing Okocha, Kanu, Odegbami, Tijani Babangida and co, adding that, “sadly our administrators are not doing enough to discover them.