Nigeria and a 2022 FIFA World Cup Bid

Still on Nigeria and the 2022 World Cup
By Segun Odegbami
Published: Saturday, 3 Nov 2007

The continental rotational system for the selection of the country to host the World Cup has served its purpose and has been terminated by FIFA.
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Sani Lulu

It was a political weapon used at a particular time and for a particular purpose by Sepp Blatter. Primarily though, he used it to bargain for his re-election as FIFA president on the eve of the last elections.

He thus, secured the votes of the whole of Africa and South America by conceding the 2010 and 2014 World Cup finals to the two continents. That done the World Cup needs to be saved from the consequences of that decision. The continuation of the system will take away a great deal from the World Cup property itself.

The bidding process is one of the events that generate global interest and revenue for FIFA. One only needed to observe the quiet uneventful emergence of Brazil as 2014 host to appreciate FIFA’s losses. So, no more rotation.

Having said that, I choose to see the reversal as a blessing for my country, Nigeria. I have been an unrelenting and unrepentant advocate of Nigeria hosting the single most important sporting event in the world. When you look critically and deeply at the result of South Africa’s preparation to host the 2010 World Cup, one cannot but envy the country for celebrating already a huge economic, political and social success stories three years before the event. The World Cup of 2010 has made profit three years ahead of the event. It has also kick-started the fastest and most revolutionary urban development projects in South Africa and the country cannot be same after it. No country hosts the World Cup and remains the same.

The competition is unlike the Olympic Games or the Commonwealth

Games with logistical and organisational nightmares. The World Cup is relatively easier and more straightforward to organise. Its economic and social benefits are guaranteed. We have been told that the vision of the Federal Government of Nigeria is to grow the country to become one of the top 20 economies in the world by 2020. As a dreamer myself, I choose to believe government that it is achievable and that I want to play a small part in the actualisation of that vision.

It is recognised by the discerning that when a country wants to announce its ‘arrival’ as a world super power it does the following: acquires or develops nuclear power capability; goes into space with rockets or astronauts; and then organises the Olympic Games. Nigeria is not a super power yet. But it has already embarked on a journey along that path. It has no ambition to conquer space, but it has placed its first satellite in orbit. In order to showcase its envisaged accomplishments by 2020, it ought to host the only event that can do so and leave the country with more benefits than liability at the end. The World Cup of 2022 is strategically positioned for that purpose. The universe itself appears to be conspiring with Nigeria by making FIFA reverse the rotational arrangement so that we can bid for it in 2015.

We must dispel the notion that the World Cup would be a clog to development. It would rather be the oil to power the development of the country.

Let it be sounded loud and clear before any other country in the world indicates an interest that the ‘sleeping’ giant is awake and intends to host the world. Let us showcase our achievements in football through the decades that have earned us the right to be worthy hosts of the rest of the world.

Let us use the opportunity and the time before then to let our people start to believe in their capacity to be and to do all things. Let us clearly point to the roadmap to success by showing them what others that have done so have benefited. Let us dispel the impression that the World Cup is a white elephant project in the face of more pressing national problems and needs of the people. Hosting the World Cup facilitates and accelerates the provision of these infrastructural and social needs of the people. Let us look at the South African example and learn from their experiences and monumental gains.

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