₦airaland Forum

We need a Land reform review and set aside specific areas for farming and grazing. This will go along way to protect immigrant farmers and travelling cattle men. Both parties in the fight over land have good reasons to be unhappy but the Government must seek reform.

@Alj Harem

I don't think building an International Airport is the issue, especially since the Margeret Ekpo airport is still open. However, I think a cheaper means of moving people to this location is needed, maybe a small air shuttle business, quick, safe and faster one day movements.


I still wonder why they have not made any movies here, if indeed it is a world class studio?

Still believe $450 is too much for a 80,000 sq meter space and based on the State's income they should have built in phases of $100 million. Biggest mall in America, is 320,000 sq and cost $650 million even with inflation rates, Tinapa still exorbitant per sq meter

Bottomline, they have a marketing problem, Calabar is beautiful but this guys have no clue what to do with it. There is a market but they must change focus in line with new realities.

***POSTED THIS A YEAR AGO, same issue and they have not followed my advice. For a fee, I could turn Tinapa around, No kidding.

Wrong planning. I don't agree customs frustrated it. That is supposed to have been sorted out by the feasibility studies. $450m could have helped build industries for the good people of Cross River State. Why didn't they build in phases?

Right now they are stuck, I think they have a marketing problem instead. By the way how many movies have been produced at the Tinapa studios? Is that a custom problem too?

They have to come up with ways to re-brand the location, I hate the Dubai tag why not be Tinapa. Improve electricity in Calabar to attract businesses, hence more people. What is unique about this place? Is there a history museum? why not liaise with the Museum commission to create something different. Biafra Museum, craft museum. Transportation? can I get a days flight to this location from Lagos and back the same day. Is there a Tinapa magazine or journal? Website?

Nna see Formula 1 business, build a small center and charge fees for them to participate.

Well, FRSC must act and regulate, I like the initiative but the venue is wrong. Plus I could listen to this reporter all day, sounds like he is singing

Ok he is Nigerian but isn't the Airport security culpable on this one? Or, am I missing something? I trust Nigerian Police and Customs would have singled him out before he even boarded the plane but this Americans with all their technology and scanning no try

tiwola:
First things first, being located in a country capital or commercial nerve center doesn't mean a team will be successful.
You cite the examples of Madrid and Barcelona but then what about other Madrid-ian teams or other teams out of Barcelona? Each of these cities have more than 4 other teams each in the Spanish League.

Again the issue is High Population + High Commercial cities in the leagues I have mentioned above NOT just Capitals. In the current La Liga season only Barcelona is based in that city. 4 teams in Madrid, Real (31) and Atletico Madrid (9) have won titles, top three in Spain. The other teams Getafe and Real Valecano are relatively younger teams. On TV sponsorship, all 4 teams are in the top 10 in Spain.

The Spanish league commercial revenue sharing is based on individual clubs but all that is subject to change in 2015. The La Liga will sign foreign TV money and we all know Barcelona and Madrid are the two teams carrying the international audience.

tiwola:
Commercializing Nigerian Football takes a whole lot more than just pumping money into it. Right now all efforts by Glo (whatever sponsors they've had over the years) amounts to philantropy or giving of alms.

I know this may sound insulting/non-patriotic but it's the truth.

Teams still play in half-empty stadiums. They still source funding from state governments. Almost all need cash investment from government every season.

The fact is this. the money isn't the problem. Our understanding of football as a business is.

We understand football as a past-time. Some understand it as a sport. None understand it as a business.

Lets adopt the the lessons of the EPL.

Every team, so far as they're managed well can compete. Relegation is never the end of life.

Let us get full stadia during matches.

Let us have the media support teams.

Let us have teams create a massive fan build-up in their localities.

Then the finance will come.
Football has to be attractive to fans. Then it'll attract sponsors who always want to engage the fans.

And that’s where your finance/commercialization is. At the end of the rainbow/hard work.

Not before it.

No one is asking for money to be pumped, actually the issue of this thread is to expand the market to include Lagos. Have you ever being to Aba Township Stadium? Is it not relatively full? Then why can't Enyimba run itself. Even this year, the Ajegunle Nations Cup attracted people to watch

That is the issue, successful team but in a small market. And like all strategy the goal is to seek ways to expand the market and Lagos is that market. As long as it stays unexploited, the commercial side of things including TV would be tough. If I have to buy a team in Nigeria two markets stand out, one is Enugu Rangers (Rich history and brand, good city) The other and more profitable is Lagos, and I think any team will do although history is good.
Understandably, standards have to be set but its not enough. I made an example with the Dutch league, great football but TV market is small compared to Germany, England, Turkey or Spain

Strategically, it is important and NFF has to market the idea for the leagues commercial survival.

I wonder how much Thomas the Disciple had when he took the Gospel to India?

I have seen folks who came to the USA as Missionaries and are here hustling

Thank God for the Internet, how many Nigerian churches have a blog? Free blogger website to at least post Pastors manuscript on the web or Facebook or Twitter? I purposely omitted Website cos someone will say it costs money but blogger is free.

Are we really reaching out or just recycling Christians?

How are we impacting our communities? How has the church on a Lagos street impacted its community?

Again, why do believers and non-believers give to the Red Cross and Salvation Army, is this not what the Church is for? This all started as Church organisations


We are losing focus and alienating our youths.

Dis Guy:
who will benefit from all the commercial goodies anyway? wont it mainly be the team based in lagos? The league might get more supporters but the vast majority of commercial interest will be for the lagos team


Any particular reason why the NFF ( regulator) be marketing for a team? dont they have their own management who should be responsible for this?

Just maybe the teams irrespective of where they are based are not an attraction for the private companies, their mileage is too minute, plus most companies dont have customers outside of Nigeria anyway

The contracts for sponsorship should be re-modelled so teams can market themselves and their stadia without another round of court cases with Glo- they are in the habit of always throwing tantrums with court cases over everything they sponsor, they want to control everything like they are doing the teams a favour or as if NPL/NFF cant get others to match their offers

Who will benefit?

Everyone. Like the MLS and the EPL, the club ownership should be vested in the hands of the NFF. With having a successful team in Lagos, sponsorship revenue will increase and then shared among all in a structured formula. It also helps players improve their image rights, a player in a popular Lagos team can be Peak Milk's national advertising face, the way it is today a Kano Pillar player can't do this.

Teams will market themselves locally but on a national scale, it is the NFFs duty, this is why the NFF has a marketing department. E.g Globalcom sponsors the league in partnership with NFF, TV will be in partnership with NFF. Clubs can follow through with marketing with their local companies and also jersey deals will be clubs responsibility.

In England, international rights money is shared even to West Ham, when we all know that the Champion league clubs are the ones who promote all
Team Lagos is the cash cow,

honeric01:
I am struggling to get your point.

What are you trying to say? that NPL of NFF should give any Lagos club automatic qualification to the premier league or force a club from another city to Lagos? what exactly? do you think if Lagos state actually wants a club in the premier league, they wouldn't have done it even with a governor like Fashola?

What I am saying is, the NFF as the owner of the league MUST deliberately seek investors and new owners for a Lagos based team
OR Support an existing team, to be based in the Lagos Market
OR Relocate a top team to Lagos

Bottomline: Lagos needs a team in the Premier League to help the leagues numbers, in an era of TV and commercial revenue, tapping into this market will change the fortunes of the league, it has never being done in Nigeria.
Its like a family with limited resources for its 6 children, and the parents decides to borrow/support the smartest child to go to the best school as a way to support the family. The plan is for 7-10 years, ending in African league success. It is the NFF that has to talk to the Lagos Government./or sponsors, it is that important.

afam4eva:
Must we have a team in Lagos. I don't personally think the lack of a clubside in lagos is in any way affecting the economics of the NPL. Creating an automatic team in lagos will not be fair to other grade B teams that are trying to find their way to the top division. If lagos must have a team then they need to groom one that will go through all the hurdles like Gabros, Bolowotan, Bussdor are doing. Last time i checked Julius berger used to be in lagos. What kind of support did they get.

Yes we need a club in Lagos. The city is the only Nigerian city where immigrants are more than local natives. Lagos has only won 2/39 titles in the NPL, issue is not about giving them a free role because they would compete Continental too in the Africa Champions League. As long as the present model is not working, we have to consider change and tap into the Lagos market. Yes, Julius Berger used to play in the league but again NFF never leveraged the marketing for the team

milehigh06:
this i have a problem with.if we alll know that corruption and favoritism is the bane of Nigerian football,why would you then advocate for the NFF to be biased towards one club all in the name of lagos being the commercial hub of nigeria or former capital.man utd is the most successful club in england and they are not based in london,barca has made a name for themselves but they are not in the capital of spain.As long as the stadium is not safe,the match officials always favor the home teams,pitches are nothing to write home about,the league will not bounce back.
back in the days,my dad was a die hard stores supporter while i loved bendel insurance to death(being an edo boy na) and we would go to onikan stadium to watch whenever insurance was in town and these clubs were successful then,bbc lionbs of gboko,stores,rangers, UP SOOTING,mighty jets,pillars,berger
all these clubs were financially strong but corruption from these clubs and the nff has contributed to the demise of the popular sport in Nigeria

Well the question is, are we making money today? The answer is No! At least not to our potential. In as much as I see corruption as a problem, fact is the Mexican, Spanish and even FIFA are corrupt but why are this ones making money and we are not.

Manchester United located in Manchester is an industrial town, the first industrial city in the world and had the first railway in the world, its growth coincided with the industrial revolution attracting workers from different places. Manchester UTD is a well run club, that stuck with its roots and even today teams in London don't compare, so this is the historical perspective to Manchester UTD.

Again this is not about Capital cities, it is about commercial + population markets.

Matthew 10:8
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

On the basis of the scripture above. It is understood that the gospel should be ministered at no cost. On the other hand . It is believed by many also that it cost a lot to reach out to people with the gospel. And so there by, contributions are required to reach out either on tv or crusade etc.

What of the place of giving , when people give ,are they paying for a free gospel?

Those who advocate free gospel sometimes criticises those who raise money for the preaching of the gospel. Is there a difference? Is there a misunderstanding? Are we looking at the same thing or 2 different things. Please air your view without insult an abuse so we can learn . Biblical references will be appreciated where relevant.

@Jo

The Gospel is free. I believe that when we get to heaven, God is not going to tell folks "we missed our target due to budget constraints". Money is a tool and not the Gospel. What we need are a willing Church to lead the gospel. Having this in mind will help us see things differently.

The principles of giving is simple. Give and you receive. It applies to everyone whether you are a Christian or not, it is a universal principle. Some in the church have misused it and most folks here, against Church giving won't mind giving to the Red Cross or Salvation Army, why do they do that?

man smith:
dream on,once the team starts making money,they will start killing themselves just to loot and kill the club

This is strictly business. Corruption runs soccer from Mexico to Italy, it is a problem. But the issue is if I have to buy a club or advice an investor, the place to get that club is Lagos. If an Abramovic investor needs a place to get his return, Lagos is the market.

Of course, the NFF has to review the way clubs are run, reduce referee corruption and improve standards but all this alone won't change the league if we don't have a big team in Lagos. Lets have a big team first and every other thing will follow.

The Holland league plays sexy football, that is the home of all things sexy and football but the problem they are facing commercially is small population compared to say Germany. The German league is on another level when it comes to commercial revenues, it is #1 source of income as a result of a larger market of 80 million and strategically placed in Europe. On that scale, watch out for Turkey, they are coming up slowly.

Hey guys someone on goal.com talked about this issue today

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2011/06/29/2552575/empty-stands-the-demise-of-the-nigerian-premier-league


This is a big deal but will NFF listen?

^^^Well, the plan is like a 7-10 year plan, bring a team back up to the Premier League, challenge for local titles and go continental. The FA has to take its numbers to investors and the Lagos Governemnt and show them the potential revenue.

The other way is to relocate a team to Lagos but that would be tough because soccer fans love history. Currently clubs with rich history are Shooting Stars, Enugu Rangers, Nationale, Kano Pillars etc. That said I believe without a team based in Lagos, it will be tough to make money. We need Team Lagos!

^^^Of course but again they are not in the Nigerian Premier League, you do know Fulham FC and Chelsea are in the same London yet one is richer and more attractive to investors than the other.

Look at Egypt, most successful team Al Ahli is based in the city of Cairo (High population+High commercial city in the country)

In Sudan, A Hilal and Al Merrikh both based in Omdurman, once again highest population+highest commercial center)

This two leagues, based on field play not better than Nigeria but commercially they attract crowds and TV incomes, Why?

Holland's most successful club Ajax, again highest population+high commercial city center

This two phenomenon must be present for it to scale, the issue is not giving Lagos a free ride, it is about attracting the best revenue. I believe if Enyimba were based in Lagos, they would have helped the league commercially.

Beautiful!If it were designed by a Nigerian, there would have been a 1000 capacity church

honeric01:
With all the population and money, why can't Lagos get a team of their own into the premier league? it can't be automatic, let them play their way into the top division, this was how Barcelona and Madrid you mentioned got into the La liga in the first place.

You know teams like Real Madrid, were hugely supported by their Governments to get where they are today?
So a team like Stationary Stores could be revived by the NFF, by deliberately talking to the Lagos Government to support or look for new owners willing to spend. They can't just come up with the way they are run today. I would have said Julius Berger but its German oriented but Stores will go a long way. We need a cash cow and if money is invested and the brand managed, the league will reap success.

[quote author=EzeUche! link=topic=701501.msg8612467#msg8612467 date=1309320453]Since you wish to drag it out of me, the difference between Malaysia and Indonesia with Nigeria is that the oil palm trade is backed by their respective governments.

Nigeria's federal government does not support local farmers.

We need[b] subsidies subsidies subsidies[/b].

I don't have solution to this stagnation, because Nigeria will only focus on oil. But personally, I see that I can make money off of this plant, which can also help employ people not only in the East, but West Africa.[/quote]Subsidies are good but not the only problem. Like, I mentioned part of our problem today is the Land Use act 1978, it limits intending farmers and encourages laziness. I understand the Govts idea but it needs serious review.

By a quick Wiki research, Malaysia Government deliberately dedicates about 24% of its land to Agriculture.
Do we have reserved lands for Agriculture? Plus we need research to know where lands are fertile and keep those lands for Agriculture. Then training, subsidy etc can follow.

Not all tribes are farmers, even in the East, how can the government protect immigrant farmers from harsh land practices? The Kwara Govt supports the Zimbabwe immigrants and you can see their success.

Have we reviewed our Land Use Act 1978 yet? I think the reform must start from how we share and redistribute land.

Okay folks, so yeah we know corruption and administrative inefficiency is a bane in Nigeria football. However, I believe we can improve commercial revenue by doing just one thing right.

Here are the facts, in the 2010/11 Nigeria Premier League season there is NO team from Lagos State, the biggest commercial market in Nigeria and the most populous state.

In Spain, the biggest/commercialized cities guess what Madrid and Barcelona , you know the most successful clubs

In Mexico, the biggest/commercialized cities Mexico city and Guadalajara, most successful clubs Americas (Mexico City) & Guadalajara FC

If the NFF wants to make the NPL lucrative, self sustaining and attractive to sponsors then a club has to be "supported" in Lagos to become a continental champion. That will go a long way to change the league's fortune. The NPL needs a cash cow, like Barcelona and Real Madrid carries the Spanish league

Why Lagos?
Lagos has the population, meaning great talent pool from all works of life.

Lagos is the biggest commercial market in Nigeria, growing everyday

Stadium is already available.

Biggest companies are based in Lagos

Imagine if Enyimba were in Lagos, the fortunes would have being different, Great club but in a small market.

This is purely a marketing issue and has nothing to do with tribe or religion

Boko Haram seized to be a religious group the moment they started bombing violently. FG should start by tightening the border and then we can talk.

ezeagu:
How is this too much to ask for, look:

The northerners like sharia: true.
The northerners might as well be in an Islamic state: true.
The northerners do not dislike Boko Haram: true.
The northerners would not mind their own country: true

Then give them their country!

It is this reasoning that will make Boko Haram come out as heros, you do realize there are Native Christians in Bornu State right? And even if you give them their own country, violence will continue and would destabilize the new country. Have you considered that? Before giving them their country you might want to settle for peace which is very much achievable. Before now Maidugri, was a peaceful place and this started brewing from 1999. Question is, what happened and what role did our politics play in it?

Arctic:
For me the fact that Odemwingie is saying he took permission and Siasia is saying he didn't suggests that maybe someone is not telling the truth here. I leave that for you to decide but personally I feel Siasia maybe overdoing things.


For those of you who do not appreciate the statement that ''Odemwingie is the only world class player Nigeria has''  I would like to quote a few facts for everyone to ponder over.

1. Nigeria striker Peter Odemwingie beat Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan to win the English Premier League African Player of the season 2010/2011.

http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/odemwingie-wins-epl%E2%80%99s-african-player-year

2. Odemwingie received the Premier League Player of the Month award twice in the 2010/11 season. Odemwingie is only the sixth man to have received the accolade twice in a season in the award's history.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/05/06/2474410/west-brom-striker-peter-odemwingie-named-player-of-the-month-for-


3. Odemwingie scored 15 goals for West Bromwich Albion in his first season with them in the EPL and without him they would have surely been relegated.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Odemwingie

To compare this goal tally with other great Nigerian players who played in the Premier League:

Kanu Nwankwo scored 16 goals for Arsenal in the 1999/2000 season (that was his highest goal tally throughout his career in Premier league). You can see Odemwingie's tally comapares favourably

Okocha is a midfielder so it would be unfair to compare the two.

Thanks

Arctic  

How many goals did Yakubu score in the EPL? Hint:100 plus
So Cesc Fabregas did not win EPL player of the month, does that make Osaze better than him?

First rule of wisdom, in any job you do, do not be tempted to bad-mouth your boss in public. BTW his only career success has being in the National Team, zero club honors and that includes a Silver medal for the Olympics led by Siasia

^^^And Keshi is a better coach? He has no ego and he is called "The Boss"? Glad, Siasia did this. You do agree he was in Nantes and he won a medal by meeting at least the minimum number of games, spectators don't receive medals.

African players do not go far because of indiscipline and a lack of professionalism, they have the talent, but that is not enough in this business.

Flyboy Zee:
Shut up! Her father was the only Nigerian resident with Oyinbo people in the prestigious Shell Residential area in Port Harcourt then. So what are we saying? She's always been priviledged and as such sees the compulsory NYSC service as being meant only for the poor. Her dad had all the money and connections to get her a service placement in any place she would have wanted to serve then, yet she defaulted. abeg make them arrest her jo, she is just a common criminal.

You have a problem with her father?
All I am saying is, the Senate approved her before now to be a minister? Why didn't anyone see it then. I would think the corruption claims hanging on her head or her link to Shell (per wikileaks) would be the focus. And sorry she can't and won't be jailed, in fact she will be approved next week. Stop posting what you know nothing about.

[quote author=Tee_Jay link=topic=698951.msg8598687#msg8598687 date=1309164516]unfortunately, siasia is not in the league of the aforementioned managers. For once, siasia has never won anything in his career as a manager apart from qualifying for some under-age competitions which he didnt win even with over-aged players.
Can you please tell me the premise for siasia's overbloated ego?[/quote]First off, as a player Siasia is an African nations cup winner, a French League winner and as a coach an African U20 winner. That he won silver later in the Olympics does not diminish him.

Ego or no ego is inconsequential, Nigeria will do with or without Osaze. Yes he is committed player but world class, NO! Per salary, titles, Champions league etc he is below Mikel, Taiwo, Yobo and they are not even on world class status yet. If he breaks camp rules, then he should apologize.

geosegun:
BAD STATEMENT; SINCE SHE BELIEVED SERVING HER FATHERLAND FOR A YEAR IS A WASTE OF TIME, THEN SERVING HER FATHERLAND WHEN THINGS ARE ROSY IN A JUICY PARASTALTAL SUCH AS PETROLEUM MINISTRY IS  UNPATRIOTIC AND SELF-CENTREDNESS. SHE CANT EAT HER CAKE AND HAVE IT.

THOSE (WHO SERVED HONOURABLY)  DESPITE ALL THE DANGERS ATTACHED TO IT,  ARE NO FOOLS AND SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN IT BACK WITH YRS OF JUICY APPOINTMENTS.

You are joking right?
This is 1993 we talking about, she could have stayed in Howard or USA but she chose to relocate to Nigeria under a military government to work. NYSC is good but chill, it is all this patriotism "hot blood" that makes soldiers act like animals. She left obodo oyibo to serve her country in a different capacity and it paid off cos now she is a minister, a good growth if you ask me.

We have folks in the Senate who never went to school talk less of graduate and they are senators.

Haha, How did the same Senate approve her the last time? Are they now saying they didn't do due diligence? See how this folks waste our time smh

They should stop talking lack of patriotism and NYSC, how many Senators have an NYSC?

Oliseh is becoming a critic and he is not contributing anything.  That said, not sure what he means by "Osaze is the only World Class Player .", I would think a player that plays in the Champions league or one who won a trophy in a European league would be called world class, maybe the meaning has changed.

Osaze broke camp rules and tweeted about his actions, both actions he won't dare take against his West Brom coach. He should apologize to the team or take a walk.

Saddened by the level of bigotry in this country.

Sanusi this,Sanusi that,was this not approved by Charles Soludo? Plus is the problem Non-interest banking or Non-interest Islamic banking?
I think the real issue should be regulation of this practice and how it could effectively impact customers. Bishop has no business in this at all.
I also blame the CBN for their choice of words. They should have left it at Non-Interest Banking shikena!

vladimiros:
[b]i don`t know the point of this thread[/b]lived in a abuja and i saw houses that made my jaw drop

I guess the idea is why are we not building according to our climate and resources. Plus some of the impressive architectures in Abuja like the National stadium were designed by foreigners.

But our biggest problem is our building codes are outdated. And thats where we need to start reform and then equip our architectural programs.