Convener of the ABL football tournament, Adedayo Benjamin- Laniyi has stated that women in Nigerian politics have so much to learn from the Nigerian women in football if really they have the intention of going very far and successful in their political pursuits.
Madam Adedayo-Laniyi stated this while speaking with our correspondent during the opening ceremony of the ABL football tournament which took place at the FCT Old Parade
She maintained that she particularly loves the principle of football which she believes allows for total maximization of your skill sets, adequate preparation, teamwork and the ‘always be ready attitude’, which she said are prerequisites for total success.
She said, “The Super Falcons were recently celebrated by Her Excellency, blessed and sent them to go and win for Africa and Nigeria our first golden expression of a new dispensation. But those women, what do they have that makes them footballers? It’s not an entitlement, it’s not I’m so cute, no, they can play, they have skill sets, and they understand what it means to play as a team. Women in politics, we have to become like women in football and understand that first you need your skills, you need to have prepared, and you must be ready. They say he who dares wins. You get on to the game pitch, and you are not going to take it because the spirit of sportsmanship says when you are through with it you don’t become bitter because of it you become better. That is for me my second most profound message out of politics…even if you lose a political election or primary election never lose your political or primary direction.
Why are you in it? Politics is about people. I love people. I am famously a social entrepreneur and through that I have become the expression of the very thing by audacity and disruption I went in to do by becoming an aspiration. So it was out of that I realized that I am not just a Senator just for a seat. I am running for unity, I am the unity Senator and that is what this is about. So, it is about unifying your city: Don’t look at yourself and say I am less than.. Oh! They won’t accept me, oh! They did this to me, yes, I was disenfranchised but not from my direction. If anything, it taught me how to come in at a curve because it did not make me bitter it made me better,”
Meanwhile, speaking more on the essence of the football tournament, a top Nigerian football agent, Mo Muhammed disclosed the purpose of the football show and why they decided to partner with Adedayo Benjamin Laniyi.
“We have a platform that we have put together as an end product platform. What we are basically doing aside from using this to send out a message of unity is, we are here to scout for talent, develop them, and also connect them to their dreams.
We met with the convener some months back, and after her presentation to us as an agency, as stakeholders in Nigeria football, we realized that she shared the same dreams that we also share, of going to the grass root and developing the players, because that is where the talents are. So, after her presentation, we became convinced that she is really ready to assist us in pushing to facilitate what we have been planning and doing for a very long time because she came with zeal. So we had no choice but to come together to achieve this goal,”
The opening ceremony attracted dignitaries from the top ministries in the Territory among whom was the FCTA Permanent Secretary who was represented by Mr. Iyiola Ogundele Asst Director ( Sports Dev) FCT Sports Department.
The FCTA Perm Sec assured the organizers of the territory’s support towards organizing a very successful tournament, noting that it will help in fostering unity, love, peace, and sporting/ Entrepreneurial opportunities across the six (6) Area Councils of the FCT and beyond.
“I want to start by saying congratulations to the organizers of this great tournament, especially my sister and friend of the FCT, Mrs ADEDAYO BENJAMINS-LANIYI for putting together this FCT Unity Championship Tournament.
We, in the Federal Capital Territory Administration are ready and willing to give the organizers all the necessary support in our quest to continually foster peaceful coexistence amongst the people of the Territory,” he concluded.
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