President Umaru Yar’Adua, on Tuesday received the Brazilian football legend, Edson Arantes De Nascimeto, popularly known as Pele, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with a pledge to implement a comprehensives ports development programme in the country.
Pele was part of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegation, led by its president, Mr. Jacques Rogge, that visited Yar’Adua in his office.
Yar’Adua said the development programme would involve the provision of sports facilities in all the communities and local government areas, capacity building as well as funding.
The plan, he said, would be developed by the National Sports Commission.
Yar’Adua regretted that the development of sports had for a long time been ignored in Nigeria and other African countries.
The President stated: “We have realised this. And we are now going to ensure massive investment in sports development.” adding that “investment in sports is like investment in education.”
The sports development programme, he assured the IOC delegation, would be shared with other African countries and would also require partnership with IOC and other international sports bodies.
He also pledged his administration’s support for IOC.
Turning to Pele, Yar’Adua said, “in any human endeavour, God produces a wonder. And that is what he has done in Pele.”
Earlier, Rogge thanked Nigeria for accepting to host the headquarters of ANOCA, stating that “the IOC would support all the efforts of Africa, particularly Nigeria.”