Ejidike: Bold Footprints of Nigeria’s Pillar of Sports on the Sands of Time News

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Ejidike: Bold Footprints of Nigeria’s Pillar of Sports on the Sands of Time

By Daily Sports on May 30, 2016

This week, Sports Pulse is beaming its searchlight on a complete gentleman in every sense of the word. No colouring, preservatives or jokes at all. Before I let you fully into him, permit me to say that he has impacted positively on Nigerian sports, leaving bold footprints on the sands of time. The home truth is that not many sports followers in the country can readily tell the name of the present Pillar of Sports in Nigeria. This is because he is beguilingly unassuming.
Dear reader, it is my pleasure to unveil to you Chief Donatus Agu Ejidike, JP, and to let you into his untiring efforts at promoting sports development in the country in his capacity as the current Pillar of Sports in Nigeria, whose latest intervention was the donation of an 18-seater air conditioned bus to the National EXCO of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN). Surprisingly, the sporting media were not awash with such supposedly landmark event in the annals of SWAN history. Interestingly, this was the very first of its kind since the institution of the high office of Pillar of Sports in Nigeria.

For the records, late MKO Abiola was the Pillar of Sports in Africa (not Nigeria) but for his overwhelming passion and deep sense of philanthropy, he fathered our SWAN all over the country, not minding his very demanding pillar role on the continent. Africa Sports Journalists Union (ASJU) now AIPS Africa headed by the very erudite Mitchell Obi is solely responsible to appoint the Pillar of Sports in Africa.

A recap also, dear reader: Late Prince Dotun Abidoye was Pillar of Sports in Nigeria and was succeeded by former Governor of Abia State and business mogul, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu. Thereafter, an exceptionally unassuming businessman, Chief Donatus Agu Ejidike, JP, was officially installed to the high-ranking seat of Nigeria’s Pillar of Sports in llorin, Kwara State, about two years ago. By tradition, this appointment is made by the National Council of SWAN.
Trust me; let me say without any equivocation that I never give Chief Ejidike any chance at first. However, with time that tightly held belief started to give way in favour of Chief Ejidike shortly after he appeared in the very pulsating Lagos SWAN Forum, where he easily supplied answers to many difficult questions with ease, without fear of contradiction, too, and to the admiration of even critical colleagues like yours truly. I thought he was a nobody in sports until records and events started to manifest his selfless and practical contributions to sports growth, athletes and their coaches. I held such to myself, though, and finally dropped it to become one of his hard earned frontline fans.
It won’t be an over statement and unsafe if one declares that the immense contributions of Chief Ejidike to the development of sports in the country have cemented his place among the sporting greats. Without any prejudice, he deserves the honour in view of his selfless contributions to the development of sports, athletes and coaches’ welfare in Nigeria. It is instructive to note that since his investiture as the Pillar, it has unwittingly spurred him to doing more for sports in the country.
It won’t be out of place to posit that Pillar has not only acknowledged that the honour is a challenge for him to do more for sports in the country; he has also gone further to prove it accordingly. Hear him in a recent brief chat: “l feel greatly honoured and l say ‘thank you’ to God Almighty and to SWAN”. He further restated his total and unflinching commitment to the increase of sports sponsorships and donations in Nigeria. He admonished well placed individuals and the private sector to forcefully come out, embrace and do more than paying lip service to the advancement of sports in the country. “Sports worldwide has become progressively capital intensive,” the award-winning businessman cum sports philanthropist noted.
The man known for his grassroots depth and strength observed that history shows that government has almost single-handedly shouldered the responsibility of sports growth in Nigeria, and regretted that there is just minimal private sector participation in sports promotion. According to him, the rise in crime in the society could also be attributed to the apparent lack of sports facilities in the country and inadequate sponsorships by the private sector. “Our natives today produce criminals. And not because it is their nature, but because their simple system of order and tradition has been destroyed,” he stated.
The Pillar, who doubles as the President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria, has ever since intensified his campaign to further champion the cause of sports in Nigeria. Due to his workaholic and sincere nature, Ejidike JP was named Karate Chairman in Kogi State. The Zonal Coordinator of the then NSC in the North Central, Dr. Olusegun Akinlotan, advised individuals to emulate the Pillar and join hands for the earnest promotion of sports in the nation. He emephasised that this great and huge honour bestowed on him has truly yielded fruits in sports taking drastic a positive leap forward in Kogi State, witnessing more grassroots participation, closed and open championships have taken hold since Ejidike mounted the saddle.
The outstanding contributions and enormous effort of the Nigeria Pillar of Sports towards the expansion and elevation of sports in the country cannot be easily swept away, as you hardly see individuals without any selfish interest and ambition investing heavily into sports as he does, he has confirmed his genuine insight, thirst and commitment in several ways, both at the grassroots and international level.
It was against the above inflammable background therefore that the then NSC represented by its Director in the North Central, Dr. Akinlotan revealed that it will continue to recognise and appreciate people like Chief Ejidike, JP who is complimenting government in developing sports in the country not on the strength of what they can grab at the end of the day. The then NSC has in several forum however, appealed and also advised other blessed individuals and private organisations to emulate Chief Ejidike’s philosophy by contributing to the sustenance and promotion of sports in the country.
On his persistent efforts to contribute to the stability and peaceful co-existence in football family in the land, he ensured that he was not left out in the sustained efforts in finding lasting solution in the lingering NFF crisis where he calls for utmost caution amongst parties for the overall interest of Nigeria. What will benefit the players, coaches and overall growth of the round leather game to bring its alluring beauty in the nation must take the front burner, he maintains. Chief Ejidike made the passionate appeal to the warring factions following the ruling of a Federal High Court in Jos. The Pillar of Sports insists that the Sports Minister Solomon Dalung must mediate and prevail for peaceful resolutions; especially when FIFA frowns at external interference in football processes by civil law courts.
He constantly said that now is not the best period to open any can worms that will either polarise the country’s apex football power house or distract the nation’s focus. Nigeria is tottering on the precipice of world football ladder; therefore, celebrating crisis is not the best thing to happen to us at this period,” he was quoted to have said. He further re-echoed, the pain of Super Eagles exit from the 2017 AFCON still very fresh and open wound in our memories, which should be our collective distress and burden; even as he believes the Nigerian League should find its rhythm to win the hearts of numerous football lovers. In this sense, we should eschew any act that will derail the progress and harmony we preach to prevail in all facets of our sports.
“Football is one of the sports that unite every society and its only credible and dynamic people that can achieve this, I urged Amaju to use his wealth of experience to develop our football and set a lasting standard for fellow administrators in other federations and stakeholders”. Meanwhile, Chief Ejidike trusts Nigeria will rise again in the world of sports, and to achieve that, urging that all hands must be on deck if we must achieve that target in record time.
As an administrator that have faith in building bridges and also strong advocate for team playing, when Pinnick Amaju executive committee was elected about two years ago, the Nigeria Pillar of Sports sent a congratulatory message to the then newly elected President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), for his outstanding victory urging him not to disappoint the country and football lovers in the nation, urging him to repose the confidence football lovers and the country has in his led committee by always making Nigeria a country to be reckon with in football globally. This makes him a leader to embrace all entreaties that would bring about lasting peace as the country would not afford to miss out in Russia 2018 World Cup football summit. That is vintage Chief Ejidike J.P.
True to his trademark, the Pillar had earlier in the season called on the Nigeria Football Federation and League Management Committee (LMC) to ensure they would step-up measures in the aspect of officiating and security to enhance validity of the results of league matches in the ongoing season.
The Pillar in his weighty role and his entrenching interest to maintain amiable relationship in sports circle pledged to identify gamely with FC Ifeanyi Uba, he made the remark when he paid a courtesy call on the Grand Patron of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN and financier of the team, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah in Abuja.
Chief Ejidike, from all indications has shown strong character and enthusiasm to justify his office. He has remained till date the Pillar of Sports that is at the beck and call of SWAN and the grassroots. Of note is he does not send anybody to represent him because he attends functions. Enter Pillar Ejidike JP!

•Victor Enyinnaya can be reached via 08055068145 (sms only) or by e-mail via sportzvictor@yahoo.com.au

Source Daily Sports

Posted May 30, 2016