Kanu extols Jonathan’s sports scorecard

FORMER Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu has urged Nigerian youths to reciprocate President Goodluck Jonathan’s reward culture in sports, saying such has overshadowed the previous ‘handshake’ where sportsmen who brought honour and glory were not remunerated. 

  “Every Nigeria sportsman who wins laurels for this country is rewarded with cash, national honour to plan his or her future. This is unlike the past when only ‘Presidential handshake’ is what one gets for his sweat. This is beside the fact President Jonathan created the enabling environment that aided such feats, Kanu said.

  Urging youths to stand behind the President in the coming poll, the former Arsenal of England, Ajax Amsterdam, Inter Milan forward recalled that President Jonathan equally recorded laudable feats in the area of infrastructural provision and health care.

 “The President Jonathan administration has done so well in sports just as it has excelled in health care, infrastructural, transportation, energy and agricultural sectors.

  “My life after football has been largely dominated by business. This makes me to travel a lot, so I’m in a position to know that our airports now conform with the best in the World.

  “Our roads are now in good shape and so many new ones being constructed and rehabilitated. I’ve been able to visit some university teaching hospitals and most of them confirm of this administration’s determination to turn around our hospitals.

  “I’ve seen a lot of equipment and facilities and I believe that in no distant future we shall not be sending our sick patients to India, America or Uk,” Kanu added.   

  Speaking further, Kanu, who is UNICEF Ambassador said: “You may say Kanu is now a politician, but truth is that I’m a professional in my own field and also a Nigerian, doing business in Nigeria.”

  Kanu captained Nigeria’s Dream Team 1 to win the 1996 Olympic Games soccer gold in Atlanta, USA.

  He further stated: “I should be able to appreciate good service delivery just as I would always do in my playing days.

  “The President has created a conducive and enabling environment which has helped our sportsmen and women to win laurels for this country.

  “In this regard, the achievements of the Super Eagles at the 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa, the Golden Eaglets in the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup amongst others readily comes to mind.

  “It did not stop at that, acknowledging that a labourer duly deserves his wage, President Jonathan replaced the ‘Presidential Handshake’ with cash and National Honours”.

  “The era of handshake when you strive and win laurels for Nigeria is gone. Besides, there is massive infrastructural development across the country in areas like health, aviation, education sectors.

  “I travel a lot and as a result has observed that our airports have been upgraded to international standards. Same applies to road network and rail system.