Support for football development, is support against crime - Ajibade

Support for football development, is support against crime - Ajibade

Welcome back to another exciting edition of your unputdownable interview in the Sun Sports Lounge. Our guest today is a legendary football investor, administrator and without a doubt, one of the best brains in the football business industry.
In this interview, the multiple awards winning PRINCE DAPO AJIBADE, took our host AKEEM BUSARI, through his decades long experiences in football, the challenges and of course, his personal agenda to continue his contributions to the development of the beautiful game in Nigeria.
Enjoy the interview..


Kindly introduce yourself?I am Prince Dapo Ajibade.
What do you do?I am a sports consultant.
Take us briefly into your journey into the world of sports Hmmm..I was the Chairman of Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure and also Chairman of Ondo State Football Agency. And after my resignation from these positions, I came up to set-up Kanu International Football Academy (KIFA), which today has become the benchmark for grassroots football development in Nigeria. Thereafter, I got other assignments which included the formation of Tonic football Club based in Ikorodu, Lagos. That's essentially to engage the restive youths of the Ikorodu community and thank God, we've been able to achieve some decent results. And to the glory of God, we also have a football team in Portugal, called FC Esmoriz. And recently, we transferred five players from Tonic FC to FC Esmoriz in Portugal.
Can take us back into your days as Chairman of Sunshine Stars and Ondo State Football Agency?It was something I enjoyed. It was somewhat easy because we'd the structure and I'd been a part of the system, beginning as Director of Academy, Marketing Consultant and then I went on to become the Executive Director of the agency, before I became the Chairman. We actually set the standard for the running of football clubs in Nigeria. For the first time ever, we recruited 35 talented young players without collecting a dime from the Ondo State government. Some of these boys included Ojo Olorunleke, Sikiru Alimi, amongst others. And many of them have gone ahead to play for the various Nigeria national teams.
As an experienced and astute football administrator, what do think is wrong with Nigerian football?Everything is wrong with Nigerian football. However, we still have the opportunity to get it right. From the administrators, fans, players, press and government, everything is wrong. Talking about the government, I don't understand why the government is not supporting football. The Nigerian football league deserves serious government attention and support. Recently, I listened to an interview of Hon. Kunle Soname, who is the biggest investor in football in West Africa. He was complaining that there's not enough money in Nigerian football. The government of Saudi Arabia released money to fund, support and develop their league. Imagine that we've been spending so much money and resources, just to qualify for the World Cup. But if we'd invested on our local league, we'd have been able to produce enough quality players that would make it easier for us. It's important we know that a support for football development, is a support against crime development.
Now, away from your busy schedules, how do you relax?Basically, I relax by watching movies, chilling at home with my family and yes, with my grandchildren. I feel relaxed with my family.
It is widely argued that sports technocrats are being denied the opportunity to contribute to the development of Nigerian sports. What's your take on this?Sometimes, it makes me feel sad. It's a system that I realise that I don't have what it takes to be part of the cartel. I once tried to institute Odua Youth League and went to the Ooni of Ife, who endorsed it and did so well to ensure it comes to life. But when I brought it to the so-called football administrators, they hijacked it and messed it up. Since then, I've tried to move away from the shenanigans and politics of football.
Today, Nigerian teams are no longer feared or respected on the continental and global stages. How did we get it wrong?On a moral note, any country can be great in football. For instance, Portugal isn't the biggest country in Europe, but because they intentionally recognised and adopted football as a key tool to develop their economy and their youths. Today, Portugal is probably one of the biggest football nations in the world. And it's just a country of about 10m people. The country has produced world-class footballers like Deco, Nani, Pepe and Ronaldo. And that's because they instituted policies that has taken them to where they are today. Unbelievably, with that small population, they have over 5,000 stadia. Now, they are producing the best coaches, players, managers and invariably, they're repatriating so much money back to boost their economy. That's what the Nigerian government should priotise.
What's your opinion about the duo of Mallam Shehu Dikko and Bukola Olopade, who are in charge of the NSC?Like many others, I celebrated their appointments. I know both of them personally, as my friends. Honestly, I'm not happy because they haven't really hit the ground running to impress me. I thought they're prepared and getting there, it would have been 'Men At Work', Unfortunately, all I've seen so far, are men still formulating policies. Sincerely, Nigerians need people like them and if they fail or miss this opportunity, it would greatly affect people like us.
Again, away from football, tell us your favourite food. Interestingly, I don't have a favourite food. I like beans. And yes, garri, maybe that's because my wife's company produces garri. Yeah, like every good food, but not English foods.
Where's your favourite vacation spot?The best place to spend my vacation, is my home. I have a lovely wife, I've a good family. And whenever I want a vacation, it's with my family.
Tonic FC is your latest baby. What's up with KIFA?KIFA remains the biggest football academy in this part of the world. It's established to help discover and expose the raw talents on the streets. It's a non-profit making project and I must tell you that I've invested heavily on it. I also have to commend my friend Nwankwo Kanu, who allowed us to use his brand to get the youths, positively engaged. On records, we've more than 20 players who have travelled outside Nigeria through the platform provided by KIFA, without paying a penny. KIFA is a give back to the society. God has blessed myself and King Kanu through football and we thought we'd give back to the people. Tonic FC is purely a football business. We plan to run the best structured football club. And in six months, we've set some crazy records and playing against some of the biggest teams in Nigeria, with encouraging results. And with Tonic FC, we're setting up multi centres of football excellence, as we want to prove to the world that Africans can also run a properly structured and successful football team.
How would you describe your everyday life?I sleep late and wake up late. I don't work on appointments because I'm not a regimented person.
What is the dress you won't be caught dead wearing?Yeah, I'm a fashionable person, but what I can't wear to the church, you won't see me wearing it. What you won't see me doing in the church, you won't see me do outside.
What're your favourite and luxurious fashion accessories?I love wristwatches and yes, I invest heavily on sunglasses. At the moment, I've a Giorgio Armani sunglass and I also have the AI metal sunglass. These are very expensive sunglasses that cost me millions of naira.
In recent years, Nigerian clubsides have not been doing well on the continent. What do you think is wrong?I have said it repeatedly that rather than just looking at the supposed dearth of talents, let's look at the ages of players in our local leagues. These guys are old and you'd see some NPFL teams parading players who are aged 35- 42 years. How can they survive against 18 and 19 years old players?In Nigeria we focus more on 90 minutes of football. I know that for a player to emerge as the 'Man Of The Match', he probably would have touched the ball for three to four minutes. And you may want to ask what did he do with the rest 85 minutes?The older players can't spend the 85 minutes rightly. Your positioning with or without the ball, marking, running and it's obviously difficult for an old player to do all that. What you get from the older players is their technical abilities with the ball and what happens, when they don't have it?
The Super Eagles are in the playoffs for the 2026 World Cup. How bright are their chances?
I have stopped discussing or watching the Super Eagles. I can't allow them give me hypertension. I'm not getting younger and I can't take the risk. Beyond that, I'm very disappointed in the team. We've the talents, but the players chose to play whenever, they wanted to play. But when they realise their folly, they'd realise that they're the losers. They must know what not qualifying for the World Cup, would do to their profiles and careers. Can you imagine what they would be doing at home or wherever, while their professional colleagues are playing the World Cup.
In your decades long involvement in football administration, do you have any regrets?I don't know, maybe because of my background, profile, passion and dedication, my presence seem to intimidate lots of people in the football ecosystem. Most times, I don't get the necessary cooperation because they seemingly have the feelings that you'd outshine them. And without being immodest or arrogant, I'd say our achievements are obviously intimidating and they speaks for us. For me, it’s all about business and not competition.
I feel bad about it and I think it's not encouraging. Till now,we haven't benefited from any support, despite the facts that we've been able to create the biggest football academy in Africa, with over 3,000 players that we train daily without collecting money from anybody. Today, we're changing the narratives in Ikorodu township and the people have begun to feel our positive impacts through Tonic FC. And to the glory of God, I'm also the Chairman of Dove FC, which is owned by The Redeemed Christian Church of God. I love this responsibility and I believe we can achieve so much.
Okay, let's digress again. If you're going on a journey to the desert, what three simple items would you go with?I don't have to take three things. Once I go with my wife, she knows what I'd need (laughter).
Your 20 years old son, was recently appointed by FC Esmoriz of Portugal, as their Chief Scout in Africa. It's unprecedented to see a young man get such position. How does it make you feel?Hmmm..that's to the glory of God. It makes me feel so honoured and appreciated. I must be quick to appreciate my wife, children and family. Knowing that you've a son who can take over from you, is the dream of every parent and especially, when you know that what you're doing is legitimate and productive and also impacts positively on the society. I promise to give him all the needed support. I believe too, that this appointment would go a long way to encourage other young people to go into sports administration.
As the NFF President for a week, what special things would you bring on board?A week? I would rather not be the President of NFF. I remember Kojo Williams had the shortest tenure of two months or so, in the office. However, it's never been my ambition because everything I've achieved in football were ordained by God. But if it's the will of God and I find myself in the seat, I shall do all the things, the current guys are not doing. Let me put it succinctly, I won't do what they're doing. For me, it won't be football as usual, but football as normal and that'd stand me out.
In the next five years, where do we hope to see you and your investments in football?Hmmm..I see KIFA retaining, as well as, improving on its position as the biggest football academy in Africa and especially, with our strategic vision to move into the West African regions. And for Tonic FC, I see it as the best and biggest football club in Nigeria.
Lastly, what's your message for the average football fan out there?I want to charge them to keep supporting football. Let's move away from crimes, because football is big and sweet enough to help us achieve our dreams.
...Culled from Sportingsun