Nigerian football stakeholder and activist, Harrison Jalla, has expressed his dismay on the purported plans of Nigerian billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote to buy French Second division side Valenciennes.
Speaking with journalists, Jalla, who is the Chairman of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria’s Task Force stated that the Africa’s richest man should have looked inwards and invested in Nigerian football, citing popular Nigerian football league side Kano Pillars, as a good choice.
“It’s mind-boggling to be reading always that Nigeria and Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, is trying to buy a foreign club. This time around it is in the media space that Dangote is interested in buying French league 2 side Valenciennes.”
“Charity, they say, begins at home. Even as the Ibrahim Gusau led NFF board is changing the narrative of Nigeria’s domestic football in his short spell in office with absolute support to the Gbenga Elegbeleye led IMC, which has already repositioned the NPFL for both foreign and local investment.
“The Dangote group is a massive beneficiary of the Nigerian Economy. Therefore, it should change its stand and invest in Nigeria domestic football, so as to, open the flood gate to both foreign and local investors.
The passionate football administrator continued, “Kano Pillars FC has more followership than the biggest football club in France, Paris St. Germaine (PSG). There are too many Nigerian billionaires interested in buying foreign clubs. They must reconsider those business interests and bring the investments back home. This is an appeal, the Nigerian Football ecosystem is now able, willing and ready for investment. The potentials of Nigeria football industry is huge, particularly now that there is a Sports Industry Policy in place,” he added.
