Countries bid to host major sporting events for a variety of reasons. Many countries seek the opportunity for global visibility that such events present.
Others combine that with the economic opportunities while some include the sheer love for the particular sport and the ‘feel good’ of their people while hosting takes place. Most look forward to boosting the micro-economy and small businesses with these events. I remember the 2nd All-Africa Games. I remember FESTAC ’77. I missed the Junior World Cup of 1999. I remember COJA. Now come October 2009, there will be the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria. Here we go again.Post FESTAC in 1977, there has been a catastrophic failure in successfully hosting a major global or continental event from one important perspective. The failure to boost the local economy in the immediate venues of competition and the country as a whole.
Firstly, an opportunity to positively improve the image of any country is available on any platform that offers global visibility. There is no batter way to Rebrand a country and her people than when the world is watching.
Secondly, an opportunity for leadership to present the people with a few weeks or months of contentment and entertainment is also available. Raising the spirits by branding the whole environment creates excitement and expectations taking away from the issues and problems for the moment.
Thirdly, involving the local economies and encouraging them to seize the opportunities that the period of the event brings, that which help boost their revenues, is a major essence of staging major continental and global event.
Fourthly, the opportunity for better and improved infrastructure, during which there is a boost for the construction industry and parallel job-creation is anticipated by governments and the people.
Some countries do these successfully, others don’t. Nigeria consistently fails on all counts.
Events such as these and their hosts are known years before they take place. Many countries spend months planning bids years ahead. There is a sense of purpose and set objectives for most bidders hence the involvement of all parties and a national ‘force’ accompanying each well-prepared bidder.
Big-name organizations. Central and Local Governments. Communities and Personalities all present a formidable desire to win the bid.
And when they do win the bid, watch the week long celebrations. That was just winning the bid. Then plans, already in place, already determined, teams already on standby all kick into motion. The excitement and expectations are unimaginable. Nigeria?
The premise for Nigeria winning any bid seems to be place on the notion that we deserve it as the largest country in Africa. That by the way is more attributed to our sexual proclivities than any meritocracy. No bother, we are still Africa’s largest country so we must have it before others do.
We win a bid and seem to go to sleep. The tedious strains of thinking up the bid in the first place seems to drain us of mental and professional resources. It was all too much winning it in the first place. Phew! Let’s take a long nap. The event is only 2-4 years away.
This is September 2009. One month to go. A similar event for the footballing seniors is taking place one year down the line in South Africa. Africa’s Branding & Marketing capital in my opinion. MTN is all over our own streets telling us that the World Cup is coming up in 2010 in South Africa. Oh, by the way there was the little matter of the Confederations Cup as a precursor to the main World Cup also in South Africa.
Infrastructure development of Venues, Transportation, Accommodation and Entertainment had begun the moment the great Madiba Nelson Mandela lifted the World Cup Trophy upon the announcement of South Africa as hosts of 2010.
The tourism industry was ecstatic. The construction industry was cheering. Jobs had been created and mobilization of resources was something impressive to see. Smiles on everyone’s face. The expectations were raised and the streets were safe from Armed Robberies and Car-jackings for a while. WOZA! 2010! Eeeessshh!
One month to go in Nigeria and the man on the streets labouring through every day has no idea the world was coming. The best he probably would get is a stool to tip-toe on while craning his neck to see who scored at the only place three neighbourhoods away that may have a popular generator known as ‘I better pass my neighbour’.
When the world comes and the sirens are blaring to make way for a bunch of 17 year-olds going to kick a football around, most Nigerians will be venting at the inconvenience of having to be later than usual to their destinations. Traffic is hell now, wait until the over-zealous policemen and out-riders do their thing.
Who exactly are these people mandated to organize these major events in Nigeria?
Where are the ‘brilliant’ branding and marketing companies and professionals?
Where is the Rebrand Nigeria project in all of this?
What plans are there, if any, in place for the local Mama-put and labourers?
I noticed the other day a bunch of labourers in the sun re-grassing the front of our National Stadium. Funny that that is all we see as preparedness for the world coming to Nigeria.
Infrastructure? Lagos State and a few others have improved playing facilities. That’s’ for the matches themselves.
Did we create jobs, as many as were possible, in preparation for this Championships?
Did we create visibility platforms to launder the image of the country and encourage foreign visitors who should be thinking of including this event as part of their tourist/holiday calendar? This may have helped boost the Tourism, Hospitality and Hotel industry. Just might have.
Are we all walking around proudly in t-shirts and merchandise announcing the Under-17 World Cup?
Are our major companies assisting government and planners to promote the event to the people? Are we ready?
One month to go and the LOCs are looking for sponsorship. Any takers?
Before all that, the real question is, do we know what we are doing?
From lengthy debates on over-inflated budgets, lack of committees, lack of professionals in all aspects of planning and promotion, lack of this and shortage of that to the real question of why we bother at all.
I know that will provoke the usual commentary of ‘it is just another avenue for the sharing of monies by those in position in Nigeria’. I know.
By the way, barely a year to go, the extensive transport infrastructure undertaken towards the 2010 World Cup in South Africa has just been launched. Underground and Surface trains in and through already existing cities. While living in South Africa it was amazing watching all the build take place. Years, ahead I might add.
When one approaches those in position in Nigeria towards contributing professional services for such major events, it is no surprise that such contracts are given to South African companies.
Some say that it is the modus operandi of planners to give these jobs and tasks to ‘foreign’ companies for ease of taking kickbacks in foreign currency and lodgments of such outside the country.
The fire-fighting methodology is something else. Harvard Business School take note. If the objective of ‘business’ is to make money, bottom-line, then the great tutelage institutions should borrow a leaf from the Nigerian fire-fighting approach to projects. It works like this.
Why start early, plan well and expend resources when you can ‘force’ ballooned budgets upon government? The rush as the deadline approaches compels government, the major provider of funding, to ‘approve’ anything to stave off embarrassment. It is during this ‘rush’ that monies and funds go missing and accountability and transparency drop off the Oxford English Dictionary for a while.
I long for the day that Nigeria will be seen as a professionally run country and the opportunities for businesses, small and otherwise, are offered and taken up by Nigerians.
The world is coming to Nigeria. I may as well buy up as much diesel as possible and simply enjoy the football. After that, it is back to the grind.
What do you think?
