‘Poor education, bane of Nigerian footballers’

Niyi Alebiosu, Lagos - 24.04.2008

Lack of proper education has been identified as the major reason Nigerian players sign themselves into slavery with foreign clubs.

Speaking with Tribunesports in Lagos recently, Olumide Dapo Olowu, a director with NVA Sports Management, United Kingdom, who agreed that there is football slavery in players transfer because of lack of proper education, said there was the need for the players to go to school in order for them to be able to read and write.

According to Olowu, whose company manages Nigerian international, Obafemi Martins and Rio Ferdinand,among others , "it is because the players cannot read in between thelines that football agents were able to let them sign unpardonable agreement that make them slaves to the club and enrich their pockets," he said.

"The administrators, club managers should endeavour to partner higher institutions within the states to educate the players so that the players would be able to communicate well with the outside world and also save themselves from football slavery because with education many Nigerian footballers will not be in such a mess in the nearest future."

The NVA Sports Management director, who expressed sadness over the development in football circle, said it was his prayer that all Nigeria players were freed from bad football agents who were only interested in their pockets and not the welfare of the players.

"Education is important in our life and most importantly the players who do not know how to write and read because they will be able to save themselves from bad football agents who are hell bent on ruinning their lives. For Nigerian players to be free from football slavery, they should