Nigeria will soon heave a sigh of relief as efforts are on to bring the country back to the comity of Rugby playing Nations.
President, Nigeria Rugby Football Federation, Dr. Ademola Are gave the assurance in Abuja.
He said the ban has harmped the development and growth of the game in the country.
“Until this ban is lifted, our source of income is actually limited. We need fund from international body, we need fund from Individuals and corporate bodies, and most especially, we need fund from ministry, there is really nothing we can do without the ministry”
Ademola Are is optimistic that having sent the constitution, the reports, pictures, minutes of the meeting to the international body, it is expected that Rugby Africa will send it to the World Rugby for a deliberation and approval during their congress in May.
“From the feelers we are getting from federation Presidents from Africa, they are very eager that Nigeria will come back. They believed we have the population, we have the economy and we have a very large pool of players to tap from, they are eager to bring us back to the fold.
On the decisions reached at the just concluded congress in Benin, Edo State last month, on the co-option of 3 members into the board, Are said these members are those that have value to Rugby in Nigeria and Africa especially in the areas of finance.
The President said the new board is intended to have programmes at all the states in all geographical zones simultaneously, taking the game to tertiarry institutions as well as rejuvenating the league whereby Northern and Southern teams will slug it out and a champion will emerge at the end of the competition so as to discover more elite players within the country.
” In all these, we needed finance, we have been in touch with Chairman of Padmozi, we have also met with Sports Minister, Chief Sunday Dare, the Permanent Secretary has also been good to us and other spirited individuals”. Are stated.
Dr Ademola Are however solicited the unflinching supports of the Rugby Club owners in various states because according to him, they are the serious stakeholders.
