Detractors nearly forced me to resign from AFN board - Alao

A board member of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Alao, has revealed that he almost threw in the towel owing to detractors and ‘their agents’ in the South West Zone.

Alao, who is representing the South West Zone on the board, is chairman of Lagos State Athletics Association.

He told AFN Media in an interview at the just concluded African Zone 11 Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana that there are people who hate progressive minds and would do everything thing to discourage them from helping sports grow in the zone.

“I almost resign from the AFN board owing to cantankerous, distractive actions of enemies of progress,” Alao said. “They want to be everywhere, and if you refused to accept their selfish ideas you become a target for media bashing.”

“Thank God, I didn’t resign because I have learnt my lessons from my brothers on the AFN board, especially the President Chief Tonobok Okowa, who I can humbly refer as my older brother in age and sports development and administration.”

Alao continues: “Following the media criticisms, I stopped all sporting activities in the South West Zone for two years, but I had learnt my lessons. I won’t take such action anymore.”
“I want to give kudos to Chief Okowa, former AFN president Chief Solomon Ogba, and other good minds for helping to steady the ship of progress in the federation.”

Alao averred that government alone can’t bring about sports development except corporation comes from individuals and the corporate business world. “That is why some of us are trying to assist government in developing sports, not because we have much but for the passion for future talents we have to do it.”

On his activities on the AFN board, Alao opined that the past three and half years have been a learning curve and by the grace of God, the second four year term of this board, much more will be achieved.

Alao, an oil and gas merchant, however announced that a seminar would be hosted in Ibadan next month to re-access Athletics and sports development in general in the South West and fashion a way forward.