The reports of emergence of Egypt as the new Minifootball’s Champion of Africa have occupied the media space in the last couple of days. While no one can take anything away from the Egyptians as it was evident right from the beginning that they were adequately prepared and meant business for the tournament, it wont be out of line also to put into the record of history the heroic actions of some individuals/institutions without whom the tournament would never have taken place.
Apart from the early arrival of the Egyptian team which was second to Lybia, their opponent in the final, the Pharo men came with a full strength officials that included a physio, a sports psychologist, a full coaching crew as well as representative of their government. Thus, if adequate preparation is the sole reason for emerging a Champion in any tournament, then Egypt national team deserve to be crowned African Mini-football Champion.
Having said this, there are still some personalities/institutions without whose tremendous efforts, the tournament would have existed only in the minds of the Nigerian Mini-football Association (NMA) officials;
these individuals spent their God’s given resources just to ensure that another “first” (Oyo State became the first state in West Africa to host Minifootball continental tournament and the first ever state in the world in which its private enterprise hosted a continental tournament) was added to the plethora of other “firsts” in Oyo State’s kitty.
In this article written by Hazeez Ayansola, Ilaji Resort’s Corporate Affairs and Media Manager, the behind-the-scene roles of some individuals and some institutions would be brought into fore. These roles were instrumental to what has now become an important chapter in the history book of our football development.
Dotun Sanusi: The Ibadan born Investor is fast occupying the legendary roles played by late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola over his involvement in sports development in Nigeria.
Since the death of Abiola, no single individual in Nigeria has spent his personal resources for sports development the way Chief Dotun Sanusi has spent in the past four years. In order to host the Mini-football tournament, having been told that the only thing that would not allow the competition to be staged in Nigeria is the absence of a Minifootball Stadium. The Mogaji of Olugbade family instantaneously gave out the contract of a Minifootball stadium, thus making him, through his company, Ilaji Resort, the first private individual to build two stadia in one single location. Having been nominated and consequently elected into the executive committee of African Minifootball Confederation (AMC), people have tipped this University of Ibadan Petroleum Engineer to be in the mainstream of Confederation of African (CAF) executive anytime soon. Being a go-getter and an industrious individual, Chief Sanusi deployed everything at his disposal just to ensure that every obstacle was removed along the line. At the critical period when it appeared COVID-19 will make nonsense of the hosting of the tournament, Engr. Sanusi, deployed his vast connection and resources just to ensure that everything required by the authority to grant the entry visa to the incoming teams were provided.
Chief Sanusi monitored, advised and made available prompt financial resources before and throughout the tournament.
Achraf Ben Salha: He is the African Mini-football Confederation (AMC) President. The Tunisian is so passionate about the development of Minifootball in Africa that he saw to the presence of World Minifootball officials at Ilaji Resort during the competition. Being the Vice President of World Minifootball Association (WMA) his ultimate goal is to see Minifootball in Africa competing favourably well with what is obtained in Europe in terms of organization. His insistence on the provision of certain facilities no doubt added glamour and glitz to the competition. He stuck out his neck for some individuals and teams to come to Nigeria for the competition when COVID-19 was rearing its ugly head again.
Ilaji Resort: Since it started Operation about three and half years ago, Ilaji Resort has been the good news sports athletes and Sports lovers were patiently waiting for. The company owned hundred percent by Chief Dotun Sanusi whose vision and values has been incorporated into the company’s system has become the viable platform through which international competitions are held in Nigeria. Having strategically reorganised last year by Chief Sanusi with a view to achieving its corporate vision (to be a leading hospitality outfit in Nigeria and Africa as a whole through a consistent hospitality and classy services to our esteemed guests; and to be a viable platform through which sporting talents are nurtured to stardom), the management of the company under the leadership of Prince Adesina Araoye, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, has through his wealth of experience in the corporate sector has embarked upon a strategic partnerships and alliances. Apart from the humongous amount of money (which was over a billion naira) spent by the management of the Resort and sanctioned by the Chairman for the provision of the world class facilities used during the competition, the management also gave up its main source of revenue by allowing the participating teams and their officials to lodge in the hotel rooms when it dawned on them that the hostel purposely built for the competition would not be ready on time
Nigerian Mini-football Association (NMA): Led by its President, Hon. Yemi Taiwo and the association’s Organising Secretary, Mr. David Adewoye, these NMA top echelons have taken the gospel of Minifootball to every part of Nigeria preaching and appealing to the people at the corridors of power to see the benefits inherent in Minifootball . It was these relentless efforts that took the NMA officials to Chief Dotun Sanusi who saw the vision that those they hitherto spoke to never saw.
Federal and Oyo State Government: Following months of heavy investment in sporting infrastructure which gulped thousands of millions of naira at Ilaji Resort and weeks of painstaking planning by the organisers (AMC, NMA and Ilaji Resort’s management) of the competition, it would have been a monumental loss had the government at the federal and state level cancelled any form of gathering due to the sudden rise of COVID-19 cases but the government instead of outright cancellation of gathering reeled out guidelines that saw to the containment of the dreadful disease. The strategy allowed the organizers to go ahead with the tournament but at the same time be very strict about the enforcement of the COVID-19 containment guidelines. Oyo state government was also not left out as the Deputy Governor, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, ensured the State Government was well represented during the opening and closing ceremony. His presence and the pep talk given to the team contributed in no small measure to the last world cup slot secured by the Spartan eagles after they defeated Zambia by 3 goals to 2.