Sagoe Wants Autonomy For Cricket Federation

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President of Nigeria Cricket Federation, NCF, Kwesi Sagoe has canvassed for the autonomy for the administration of cricket in the country.

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting, AGM, held in Abuja recently, Sagoe said “I have no apology to make in terms of my vision and philosophy for cricket to function autonomously in a private sector orientation, similar to what obtains in golf and polo and run by its own adherents. This philosophy aligns not only with the International Club Cricket, ICC’s vision to remove government’s involvement in the administration of cricket globally, but also with the National Sports Commission, NSC’s concessioning policy,” he said.

Sagoe said the NCF will “continue to pursue autonomy of cricket with the NSC until it is achieved, as this is the only way forward given the almost-zero funding from the government,” he said.

The president, who was holding his AGM at the cricket federation was glad that in his tenure in office since 2009, Nigeria is at the threshold of leadership in African cricket with Namibia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania the Associate countries presently outperforming the country.

“In the coming years, it will therefore be necessary to benchmark our performance in line with these four countries so that we can compete against them in a more positive manner and bid to outstrip them gradually. It will definitely not be easy but it is certainly not impossible,” he said.

He further disclosed that Nigerian players are currently plying their trades in clubs in the UK Leagues, which further attests to the development of the sport. “Players such as Endurance Ofem, Kunle Adegbola, Joshua Ogunlola, Saheed Akolade, Ademola Onikoyi and Shola Anyia are now playing league cricket in the UK.”

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