http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/sports/august06/08082006/sp408082006.html

Abuja — President Olusegun Obasanjo Monday in Abuja reassured that Nigeria would be able to successfully host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 if her bid succeeded.
Speaking when he granted an audience to the Chairman of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Bid Committee, Mr. Ronald Walker, at the State House, Abuja, the President noted that considering the facilities on ground and “what we are preparing”, Nigeria would be able to host the over 75 countries expected to participate in the 2014 Games.

While thanking Mr. Walker for agreeing to support Nigeria’s bid, he said that the country would greatly benefit from Australia’s experience in hosting the Games by depending mainly on private sector finance and making profit. President Obasanjo who noted that 2014 was significant to Nigeria as it would commemorate the centenary anniversary of the country’s amalgamation, expressed the Federal Government’s determination to do everything possible to win the hosting bid and become the first African host of the Commonwealth Games.
The President also indicated Nigeria’s desire to replicate Australia’s National Sports Institute where sportsmen and women successfully combine academics and sports training all-year round.

Mr. Walker who congratulated President Obasanjo for making a powerful speech during the 2005 Malta Commonwealth Summit in favour of Nigeria’s bid, said that the Games in which one-third of the world’s population are represented, always provided the host country with the opportunity to present itself to the entire world.

He stressed the crucial roles of private sector funds and making a good bid presentation, while pledging Australia’s support for Nigeria’s bid.
The Chairman, Nigeria 2014 Commonwealth Games Bid Committee, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), led members of the Committee to the audience which was also attended by the Minister of Sports, Hon. Bala Ka’oje, and the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Tanko.

Seems the speech the Nigeria President gave to the Commonwealth Summit last year impressed Ron Walker . Too bad the former prime minister of canada Paul Martin stood up that conference and did not hear the speech. I suppose Ron Walker would throw support behind africa as he could not get any money this winter out of the CBC and had to actually pay the CBC to broadcast the games so as to keep the slate of corporate sponsors happy that the games were actually being shown in all parts of the first world commonwealth.

GO Abuja GO

jim jones

See, now it sounds to me like you think the commonwealth games are a good idea. Otherwise you would oppose them going to any city in the world. But somehow you still show support for the existance of the games, even though you make comments about how useless it is on the global sports stage. In other words, you really dont make much sense sometimes lol

If Abuja gets the games. It would be fine with me. Nigeria has been making great strides lately.

I think wishblade I have always expressed that spending 2 billion dollars on a commonwealth games in Halifax is not wise at all. I think you have even expressed that yourself. Even 1 billion on the commonwealth games is a little much considering that you really get very little in return. The cost projection of 785 million is totally out of wack with what has gone on. Halifax's case is for a CFL team to have both an indoor practice facility and a stadium on the backs of the taxpayers in the HRM, the province of nova scotia and canada as a whole.

The CFL is not a compelling reason for biding on the commonwealth games and there is not compelling evidence that Halifax could support a CFL.

Now as to Abuja I believe that the continent of africa deserves this and Abuja is certainly the most qualified of the 3 cities biding. If Halifax was not biding on the games I would have never known what Abuja has on the ground today and how skyscaper 1 puts it Nigeria has made great strides in moving their country forward.

What is it we do Bid to host the commonwealth games for a 5 th time in canada despite our country not having the very positive foriegn debt balance sheet that Nigeria has as of May 2006.

I have one thing to ask , doesn t it seem strange that the head of state for scotland can make the presentation in Melbourne. A former president of nigeria can make that capital cities bid and the president of nigeria can make a speech before the commonwealth summit.

Seems to me the absence of leaders federally speaks to how much they really want to host a commonwealth games.

jim jones