WORLD football body, FIFA, is unhappy with the low turnout at the opening ceremonies of the 13th U-17 World Cup, Nigeria 2009, which began yesterday in Abuja with the Nigerian President, Umaru Yar’Adua spearheading the boycott.

Despite the presence of Nigeria’s Vice-President, Goodluck Jonathan, FIFA President, Joseph Sepp Blatter, President of the Confederation of African Football, CAF, Alhaji Issa Hayatou, among other dignitaries, artistes and cultural groups at the opening ceremonies performed in front of nearly empty stands as the Local Organising Committee (LOC) failed to mobilise fans’ participation in the event.

FIFA’s Vice President, Jack Warner could not hide his disappointment when in his speech, he regretted the poor attendance.‘’I hope as the competition progresses, we can do something about it,’’ he said.

Although, he did not express it, Warner must be equally disappointed by the absence of Nigeria’s President, Umaru Yar’Adua at the ceremonies. Two days ago at an interactive session with journalists covering the event, Warner revealed that Yar’Adua had personally assurred that he would not only attend the occasion, but also declare the competition open.

On behalf of President Yar’Adua, Jonathan pledged that Nigeria would ensure that the players and contingent to Nigeria 2009 would have a swell time throughout the event.“Having won the U-17 World Cup three times outside the country, one will understand our passion to host and win this one but that aspiration will not hinder our objective and chance to display that we are a country of one-hearted, industrious, happy and friendly people. We are more concerned with global solidarity and peaceful co-existence, we intend to show our unity in diversity.’’

Meanwhile, few fans who attended the opening ceremonies blamed the LOC for making a mess of the event.‘’Are we progressing at all? Must we host the championship by all means,” asked a fan.

‘’What we saw at Abuja 2003 and even Kada 2008 were better than this poor display. We are not just ready and it is disgraceful that Warner had to point it out.’’ Sunday Tribune recalls that the glamour at the opening ceremonies at the Abuja 2003 All African Games remains one of the grandest of the modern sporting gestures. President of International Olympic Committee (IOC), Dr. Jacques Roggue, even encouraged Nigeria to bid for the hosting of the Olympics.

Experts in music, dances and choreography added spice to the ceremonies while officials of the Ceremonial Committee ensured the welfare and safety of over 1,000 school pupils who participated in callisthenics. An adherent of Sango, the African god of Thunder, mesmerised the fans when from the centre circle of the Abuja National Stadium, he emmitted the fire that lit the games’ torch.

Another fan added that it was wrong of the LOC to insist on Abuja for the opening ceremonies.‘’It doesn’t have to be in Abuja every time,’’ he noted. “It would have been better in Lagos where fans attend matches and where the stadium is smaller to appreciate the few fans that watched the ceremonies.’’

Meanwhile, organisational lapses continue to be the major talking points. Accreditation bottlenecks, untrained volunteers, incomplete facilities and a whole host of problems continue to bug the LOC and all seeking to be part of the tournament.

Volunteers were still being trained as some of them had never previously seen the inside of the venues where they would work and were being taken round by LOC officials. Accreditation has been an absolute nightmare. Crowds of media, security, volunteers and other personnel were still struggling to be accredited across all centres, with delays stretching into hours.

Officials explained away the delay with the excuse that the ‘systems are down’. The result is that hundreds of journalists, both local and international, remain unaccredited. Our sister publication had during the week reported that musicians who were due to perform were not paid their mobilisation fees and none of them was part of yesterday’s ceremonies.

Source: http://www.tribune.com.ng/25102009/news/news1.html

http://www.tribune.com.ng/25102009/images/fp.jpg

Local musicians during the opening
ceremony of the FIFA U-17 World Cup
held at the Abuja National Stadium on
Saturday. Note the empty seats at the
stadium and the colourless and casual
slippers of the musicians.