The call for Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu to join the race for the FIFA Presidency is fast gaining momentum with major stakeholders in football adding their voices.
Some of the voices are those of former FIFA and CAF Executive Committee member, Dr. Amos Adamu, and ex- England International, John Fashanu who have thrown their weights behind the candidature of the former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu. Dr. Adamu, who spoke from his base in Lagos stated that, the intention of Dr. Orji Kalu to contest is a good development for Africa and the world at large.
“It is not out of place to have an African FIFA president as the opportunity has created itself. Dr. Kalu is highly qualified for the position as it takes someone with clout, great personality and managerial acumen to occupy such position as big as the president of FIFA. Kalu has all these, so why not support him for the big assignment?
“I want to call on the Nigerian sports authorities to support Orji Kalu, as he is good for the job. I have been in CAF and FIFA before and I know how it works. I can say authoritatively that Kalu is good for the job and if we all put our weights behind him he will emerge victorious.” Adamu, who is also a former Director- General of the National Sports Commission, noted that Kalu’s qualification for the topmost FIFA job is not in doubt.
“He did the magic through Enyimba FC when he propelled the team to Nigeria’s first ever CAF Champions League title. He helped the team to win a second title that had been elusive to Nigeria. “If he is given the opportunity to serve in FIFA as president, Kalu will achieve greatly in global football with Africa getting the most of it in the area of development. “FIFA presidency is all about politics, and Orji Kalu is a very good politician who is capable to withstand whatever antics anybody wants to play at the highest level.”
Adamu added that: “What Kalu needs is an organised campaign and enough financial mobilisation to travel around the world to campaign to relevant national federations and continental bodies. Once these areas are perfected the sky is the limit.”
On his part, Sports Ambassador and Founder, Football Academy, John Fashanu on Friday, added his voice to the project by promising his unflinching support. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source close to Fashanu said, the footballer of international repute has been reaching out to people silently and seeking their support for Kalu to emerge as the next FIFA President, adding that Fashanu has been sending messages to his colleagues in the football world to drum support for the African Pillar of Sports. Efforts to reach Kalu’s aide, Kunle Oyewumi, proved abortive as his phones were switched off and he did not respond to text messages.
Meanwhile, Ten years ago when he was made the Pillar of Sports in Nigeria, former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, unequivocally said: “I am well-endowed to play the sports politics in both Africa and globally. I can play the politics in CAF and FIFA very well. Fortunately, it’s a politics devoid of rancour and acrimony. It’s the politics of high men; high quality and men with similar goals. It’s not a do-or-die politics. It’s politics of win or lose.”
Today, the sports-loving personality has been presented with the opportunity to contest for the exalted post of the FIFA presidency after the incumbent, Sepp Blatter, voluntarily stepped down to make the post vacant. The former governor loved the game so passionately that in the late 1970s while in the secondary school at Eziama High School, Aba, he missed classes to join the school football team for a match. This also led to his transfer from Eziama High School to Government College, Umuahia, when his football friends moved in numbers to Umuahia.
Kalu’s antecedent in football development is linked with Enyimba International Football Club which he made the most successful soccer team in Nigeria as he propelled them to win two African Champions League titles, CAF Super Cup title, six Nigerian championships and three Federation Cups since 2001.
The CAF League Champions Cup eluded Nigeria for 36 years until Enyimba FC through Orji Kalu broke the jinx in 2004. Enyimba won the CAF League Champions Cup for the second year running.
This marked the first time a team won the trophy in successive years since Englebert of Zaire in the late 1960’s.
The former Pillar of Sports in Nigeria is not only known as a businessman and politician, he is also a household name in sports. Though he did not play football like others, he is a staunch fan and admirer of sport stars.
In 2003, he once joined the technical crew of Enyimba in the CAF Champions League quarter finals match against USMA of Algeria sitting next to Coach Kadiri Ikhana on the bench and inspired the players to great exploits.
He was also a former chairman of the Nigeria Judo Federation to show his spread in sports. Since he declared his intention to contest for the FIFA presidency last week, top Nigerian sports personalities have thrown their weight behind the business mogul urging Nigerians at large to support his candidature which they said would be beneficial not only to the West African country but also to the African continent and the world at large. “Kalu’s FIFA presidency is possible, his aspiration is very strong and once he gets the full support of the CAF president, Issa Hayatou and the other Executive Committee member, the sky would be the stepping stone.
Kalu has a good relationship with CAF and I am sure he would get their support one hundred percent,” former FIFA Executive Committee member, Dr. Amos Adamu told Sunday Telegraph in an interview. Adamu, a former WAFU president added that: “There is no big deal about the FIFA presidency that Orji Kalu cannot win. Let’s just support him and take it from there.”
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