Former world title challenger, Olusegun Ajose, and welterweight sensation, Larry Ekundayo, are in Nigeria to meet President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa to discuss how the government’s change agenda can help Nigerian youths and deliver sporting glory for the country at the Diaspora Day in Abuja, on August 25.
President Buhari will be presented a detailed plan that aims to produce world boxing champions in the next 18 months.
The specific aim is to kick-start a sporting legacy for the youth of Nigeria, which the whole country can be proud of, help national unity and bring sporting glory to the country, whilst also improving the country’s image internationally.
According to the boxers’ manager, Ben Gray, “It’s an unfortunate fact that these two fine Nigerians would be world champions by now had they been American or British. However, as they are Nigerians they have suffered both a lack of support from previous governments and faced horrendous racism overseas. With the new government, and the Nigerian change agenda in place, we hope we can deliver the country great sporting success and deliver a plan for increased health and self-respect for Nigeria’s youth.”
The Diaspora Day is an annual event supported by the Federal Government to celebrate the Diaspora’s contribution to national development. This year’s event is the seventh edition and experts in medicine, youth development, sports and education will dialog on ways of repatriating Nigerian brains and skills scattered all over the world.
The boxers and their team were flown in by Arik Air and held a world press conference at the Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. They were in the company of their special advisor, promoter of the Nigerian Diaspora Direct Investment Summit and former chairman of the Central Association of Nigerians in the UK, Chief Bimbo Roberts Folayan, Who spoke extensively about the impact the success of the two boxers have had on the image of Nigeria abroad.
Ajose promised to visit the Nigerian boxing team presently camped in Lagos in a bid to motivate them to go all out at the All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville. He called on sport administrators in the country to be proactive in preparing athletes for tournaments as this will go a long way to help them excel.
London based Ekundayo thanked Arik Air and Union Bank UK for their immense support while calling on other corporate bodies and institutions to support their dream of bringing back Nigeria’s boxing glory.
