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Fashola said that Nigeria needs to use international sports for global power to influence and shape global policies.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has revealed that Nigeria will announce itself to the world if it hosts the FIFA World Cup.
The FIFA World Cup is organized by Federation International Football Association (FIFA) for senior men's national teams.
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The tournament has been held every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War.
The defending champions are France, they will be facing Argentina on Sunday in final of the 2022 edition in Qatar.
Nigeria will benefit if it hosts World Cup - Fashola
Fashola have disclosed that Nigeria will have a lot to benefit from international Union if it hosts the FIFA world cup.
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The former governor of Lagos state disclosed this when he delivered a lecture at the Conversation Series 3 by Segun Odegbami themed 'An Integrated West African Transport and Infrastructure History, Potential and Feasibility'
He added that Lagos State benefitted massively when it hosted the FIFA under 17 World Cup in 2010 and the National Sports festival in 2012.
He said, “International sports and entertainment is not just big business and jobs for young people, it is the new global power with which to influence and shape not only global policies but the global economy.
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“That is the stage where National anthems are rendered with National flags and colours displayed to the pride and admiration of patriots and perhaps the envy of competitors.
“A bid to host the world cup by Nigeria alone or along with other West African nations must be led by Nigeria. The challenges of launching a successful bid are enormous enough but they are nothing compared to the actual hosting"
He maintained that Qatar have used the hosting of the world cup to project herself to the world.
He added that Nigeria should start to bid for international sporting events, saying that Sports is now part of the county economic drivers.
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"I vote for Nigeria to venture and to lead the bid for a major global sporting event. The examples are legion, and for those who are in Qatar, a tiny nation has not only opened herself to the world, and she is projecting herself on a global stage. The benefits of the 2022 World Cup are now hers to harvest or throw away.
“I am able to also report that in the current national development plans, sports are now one of the economic drivers rather than just recreation and a hobby. With the policy now in place, the economic benefits must begin to converge,” he said.
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