Writer: Abiodun
Ajibade Caleb
since the 2012 edition of the Nigeria Premier League kicked
off in January, the major question asked by football lovers in the state has
been, when are we going to be given the opportunity to watch our football teams
in the state play live? Many of them are of the opinion that they have been
kept in the dark about the performances of the state owned football teams since
they play their home matches in another state.
Since the commencement of the upgrading of five major stadia
across the state, the fans have been deprived of watching the clubs, each of
which had been their pride in the past. In 2010 when the state senior football
club, Sunshine Stars, made the state proud in the top flight League and
qualified as one of the three football clubs to represent the country in the
2011 Confederations cup for the first time in the history of the club, the state
football lovers jumped for joy that they would watch an international football
match being played in Ondo state, particularly in Akure Township Stadium. Those
who had not been watching the team at all were prepared to see the Ondo state
teams but the joy was short-lived when both teams relocated to Ogun State,
thereby making it difficult for Supporters to watch.
Expressing their
displeasure over the snail pace at which the work on the stadia is going, some
of the fans of the state-owned football clubs said,
“In fact we are really disappointed that we were not able to watch all the Nigerian
football matches throughout last season because of the stadium which is being upgraded,
all of us were already tired of the concrete floor we used to sit on.”I believe
Ondo State Sports Complex is supposed to have been upgraded from what it used
to be in the past. If we have got a befitting stadium it would the delight of
fans to watch football matches. Even some of us still took the pain to go as
far as Ijebu ode to watch their home matches, now that transport fares have increased,
I don’t think many of us can do that again.
Another supporter who would rather remain anonymous, said that he doubts if a genuine work was going on in the stadium, saying” to me I don’t believe
the governor will complete the stadium. If this government will complete it at all,
its going to be 'amulumala' (anyhow). The governor promised that they wanted to do
spectators seats round the pitch but we can see that nothing has been done in
that respect. It’s only the existing seats that have been repainted & I
believe that will be the last beautification the seating arrangement would
receive.
However, to the chairman of the Ondo State Football Agency, Chief Segun Adagunodo,"not playing home matches at home has helped the teams to build up
confidence to play better under tension. By the time the football pitch is completed,
the players would have gained enough confidence but the state government is
looking into how the football pitch at the Akure Stadium will be completed soon.
The challenges will be over & the contractors are also ready to go back to
the site and commence work"
The Astroturf of the akure football pitch have been laid and
the posts, lines and flags already intact which made the pitch seem ready to be
used, but the question, “WHEN WOULD THE STADIUM BE READY FOR USE? Is still left
unanswered as the contractor is battling with the race tracks, dressing rooms,
spectator’s seats and many other things that are yet to be ready in the
stadium.
It is obvious that some clubs cannot wait for
the league season to end as some have snapped up players for next season’s
campaign while in some coffers critical decisions have been taken.
One of such teams is Chelsea FC. 
