There was jubilation in virtually all parts of Bayelsa State last Saturday following the promotion of Bayelsa United Football Club to the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), after seven years in the lower division.
This came after they spanked the Cynosure FC 2-0 at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, with goals from Timitimi Ineikade and Robert Mizo, to get to the top of the league.
The joy of football enthusiasts knew no bounds as their team rose shone in the Nigeria football this season, after missing the promotion last year. It has been the common wish of all Bayelsans, especially football lovers, to watch their team play in the elite division and watch other premier league teams that would visit Yenagoa next season.
It is indeed a thing of joy and honour not only to Bayelsa state but also to the team that had won the coveted Nigeria Football League title to play in the first division of the league. Bayelsa United won Nigeria Premier league in 2009, only to be sensationally relegated the following season.
When they managed to win promotion back, they failed to sustain their promotion as they slipped back to relegation in 2015. Since then, the team has been struggling in vain to return to the big boys’ status.
The failure of the team to find its feat in seven years had been attributed to lack of commitment to and investment in sports activities, especially the state owned football club, by the immediate past government of Senator Seriake Dickson.
The lack of funding of the team during the last administration became so glaring and embarrassing at a point, to the extent of the players coming out to the public to protest non-payment of salaries and allowances. It was as bad as that. Consequently, both the players and management of the team became frustrated and lost focus.
The current feat is therefore worthy of celebration. The technical crew, the footballers and all those who play roles in the football house deserve to be commended for this feat and for their collective effort and commitment to the club, in and outside the pitch.
If the management and technical crew did not recruit good players, the club would likely not have attained this glorious height. And, if the state government did not give the club the needed support and encouragement, this historic achievement would have eluded them.
The commitment of the state government under Senator Douye Diri towards sports development has accounted for the successes achieved by the team. For instance, Bayelsa United and their female counterpart, Bayelsa Queens both won the Aiteo Cup last season. The governor has been reported to be releasing funds promptly for sports events especially for the purchase of two brand-new buses for both Bayelsa United and Bayelsa Queens as well as the release of funds for the payment of match allowances and winning bonuses to the two clubs.
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The government should keep up with this. All the stakeholders should continue to do what they have been doing, that has produced this result.
It is becoming clear that the return of Bayelsa United to the professional football league will put Bayelsa state back on the spotlight in sports and boost the state’s economy, as it will attract more investors, sponsors and development to the state. We call on the prosperity government to continue investing in sports development in the state.
