The World Boxing Federation (WBF) cruiserweight champion, Bashiru Lawrence Ali, OON, has vowed never to give in to official conspiracy and corruption that have, over the years, hindered the organisation of the first-ever Guinness World Record Boxing Championship in Nigeria.
Ali who is fondly called Bash Ali in a press conference in Abuja on Thursday decried the attitude of top Nigerian government officials saddled with sports administration in the country towards his ambition to see that the Guinness World Record Fight is held in the country, adding that several letters written to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were blocked from getting to him by corrupt officials.
He recalled that “the Federal Government of Nigeria has on three occasions – President Olusegun Obasanjo 2006, President Goodluck Jonathan, 2014 and President Muhammadu Buhari, 2019 – inaugurated the Bash Ali Boxing Project Local Organizing Committee (LOC) with the private sector to fund the historic fight, while the Nigerian government will provide an enabling environment but because of corruption, the LOC is yet to achieve its mandate.>
Bash Ali in his Save Our Soul (SOS) to President Tinubu disclosed how “the FGN has written a letter to the World Boxing Bodies to guarantee their safety in Nigeria and to reassure them that the Ministry of Youth & Sports now National Sports Commission (NSC) would facilitate the timely release of the fight money domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria by the private sector but because of corruption this is yet to happen.
“The FGN through the office of the chief of staff to Mr. President has received an advance of $12M, through the former Minister of Sports and now your special adviser, Sunday Akin Dare, and Barrister D.A Muhammad have extorted N13 million from me, while former Minister of Youth & Sports, now Minister of State for Trade & Investment tried and failed to extort $1 million from me.
“Now the historic fight is stalled because I say NO to CORRUPTION. I met the chairman, NSC, Shehu Dikko, on November 13, 2024, and he wants to re-inaugurate the LOC so we can go on with the FGN’s mandate, but he is handcuffed by the CRIMINALS in your cabinet who are sabotaging the economy of Nigeria.”
The African Boxing Ambassador told Mr President that if the organisation of the Guinness World Record Championship sees the light of day, it would be the most lucrative boxing bouts ever to be held on the soil of the African continent.
“No fewer than 132 countries are coming to Nigeria to be part of the Boxing History, and over 46,000 people have agreed to buy ringside tickets at the rate of $500 to watch this historic fight in Nigeria.
The former wrestling champion turned boxer wants President Tinubu, “In the spirit of the Renewed Hope Agenda, I am respectfully asking you to immediately re-inaugurate the LOC so all the obstacles caused by corruption would be knocked out.
“That my allegations against the people that I have mentioned here should not be swept under the rug but properly investigated and sanctioned for sabotaging the economy of Nigeria, and that the money extorted from me should be refunded.”
