[The Activism Blog] Obafemi Martins has scored yet another “goal”

Nigerian international, Obafemi Martins also known as Obagoal scored another goal on Thursday, November 2, 2017. This time around the goal was not scored for his football club, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua F.C in China rather, it was off pitch.

He was at the Lagos House, Alausa Ikeja, to present to the state government through his foundation, Obafemi Martins Foundation (OMF) medical equipment worth millions of Naira. This includes 200 Wheel Chairs, 3,240 Crutches, 100 Baby Courts, 60 Hospital Beds, 13 Electric Wheel Chairs and 3200 Blind Sticks.

This action, which is a rare display of philanthropic gesture of giving back to the society that raised him is one that should be emulated by many. The donation of such equipment will also help in improving the health sector of the state which is currently not in good shape as seen in the mass exit of doctors working for the state government.

Another import of this donation is that it has shown the importance of sport and how sport can be a useful source of income and earnings for individuals and the state. It’s unimpressive that the Lagos state government hasn’t developed sport to a level it should be.

Once upon a time, the Lagos state government was a proud owner of a fledgling football club, Julius Berger FC. Today the club is no more and it’s sad that a state like Lagos with stadium all around can’t boast of a state-owned football club.

Governor Ambode recently donated the sum of fifty million Naira to MFM FC, a privately owned club that was set up less than four years ago, for making the state proud at the Nigerian Premier League. This is coming at a time the state can’t boast of a club.

Obafemi Martins left Nigeria when he was 16 while his other colleagues started at the Pepsi Academy and, some at other local clubs before going international. Today, where is the chance for Lagos to produce the next Obafemi Martins when there is no platform for the development of future footballers in the state.

MFM FC that Ambode donated fifty million too is a club that charges millions of naira for would be players which is out of reach of poor Lagosians. The Lagos state government under Ambode’s leadership need to put in place framework for the development of a standard state-owned football club that will produce more Obagoal.

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