By Jeleel Olawale
The chairman of Osun State Football Association, Otunba Rasak Isola Mustapha has declared that sports has been declining in the state.
Mustapha made this assertion in an interview with journalists.
According to him, “Sports is gradually declining in the state unlike in the past and this is a challenging period for football in the state. This is a worst period for the club and Osun United is gradually dying.”
He said the commissioner for Sports and Youth, Mr Yemi Lawal has not been doing well in the area of sports in the state, saying he had once advised him on what to do to improve sports especially football and non of the teams is developed.
The Osun FA boss noted that some players are receiving between ₦20,000 to ₦25,000 as monthly salary which is low compared to ₦120,000 other players are earning in other states, stressing that football cannot be developed under such circumstance.
“The last time I visited the Governor, we discussed football, the need to increase the salary of the players and he (Governor) promised to do something on it. The commissioner has not been helping matter.
“Players can’t perform because there is no motivation. They go to other clubs to play. The vehicle they are using is not good enough and that is why they go on relegation.
“A good player cannot come to Osun to play and most of our players have gone to other clubs. How can you be receiving such meagre amount as salary and expect good result when others paid their players well.
“We have done our best for the players. It is the responsibility of the government to motivate the players. Though, the government is trying its best in promoting football in the state but not enough compare to other states. The players are not happy,” Mustapha declared.
He added: “The club needs to be made robust and aa a means of revenue generation for the state. Football in the world is like a cocaine. One player may be earning more than what a Governor is receiving in Nigeria as salary but we need to make football friendly and let’s people like it.
“Osun sold Odion Ighalo and the state is receiving millions of naira on him till today. It is a pity that some of the players are riding ‘Okada’ as a means of survival.”
The FA chairman opined that government needs to do something about sports in the state,”we need to get it right and government must have interest in sports and be focused.
“The football should start from the grassroot. Leave it for Football Association to do and motivate them. Let’s have football academy that will be developed from one level to another and inject them into state clubs.
“If we do this between two to three years, there will be improvement. Provide football equipment and if we have something good in the grassroot, things will be better. Let’s make use of commission instead of ministry to be independent.
“Youth needs to be engaged through football and government can generate revenue through sports.
“We should leave politics out of sports. Whoever that will be in government should try and look into sports. We need to do it well and get it right. Government must have interest in sports”, he concluded.
He also commended Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for building a stadium at Erefe in Ile-Ife through exchange programme, stressing that it will further help sports development in the State.
