By Gracious Akujobi Former Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Premier League, Alhassan Yakmut has said that time has come for government to withdraw from sponsoring professional football clubs in the country.
“I think now is the time for state governments to begin the gradual disengagement from funding football clubs.
“It will be wonderful if government convert their clubs to Limited Liability Company.
“Our league will be better off if government leave club sponsorship to the private sector or perhaps hold on to it by selling at least 40 percent to the public. The League Management Company (LMC) should begin the process of privatising the clubs owned by government” he stated
Yakmut, who is now the Director of Grassroots Sports Development at the National Sports Commission (NSC) said Nigerian league has the potential to be among the best in the world if the LMC do the appropriate things in running the league.
He stated that Nigerian league has quality players which is what is lacking in the better organised Premier Soccer League (PSL) of South Africa adding that our league should be run like PSL in terms of marketing and organisation.
Asked what he did not do when he was running the league as Executive Secretary, Yakmut stated “failing to leave a structure that will outlive me was my only regret”
He said the LMC should compel clubs to get other means of funding other than relying on government subvention or budget even as he blasted club managers of being lazy and ineffective.
