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Future African Bid:


james

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So, in conclusion you admit you were wrong about saying Abuja had the biggest athletics stadium in the commonwealth. 81 seats count! Well done!That's really mature of you Jim. :D

Again, Scotland sends her best wishes to you and Abuja's bid. If you need any advice from me when you are elected president of Abuja's committee, just send me a message mate. I'll happily educate you.

Jim, if you hate me so much (as you are racist against Scots) why do you spend most of your time on Gamesbid quoting me? That's a bit strange.

Anyway. Talk to the hand sista........

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Nope will never admit that because I said Abuja National Stadium is the Largest IAAF Class one Stadium in the Commonwealth which it is PHYSICALLY MORON . Go download google earth and see LOL.

You are depending on Wikipedia and Bloggers as your source info while this comes right from the Commonwealth Stadiums Website

http://www.edmonton.ca/attractions_recreat...th-stadium.aspx

Commonwealth Stadium, located at 11000 Stadium Road, seats 60,000 fans and is the home of the Edmonton Eskimos.

Commonwealth Stadium hosts major sports events including the World Masters Games, the FIFA-19 Women's World Championship, the IAAF World Championship, the Commonwealth Games and the Grey Cup. It is also an excellent venue for world-class events such as the Heritage Classic outdoor NHL game in November 2003 and The Police Reunion Tour in June 2007.

First paragraph of the very Website of the City of Edmonton seems to me to be a way better source then some guy probably having communications with Susan Boyles CAT LOL.

Now as to Seating Capacity it has MORE bonfide seats that would pass for IOC , FIFA and even your vaulted UEFA standards Abuja Abuja Abuja . OH and by the Way Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium for Next year will be getting new seats and the Capacity will be reduced bellow Abuja's published Total which will be indeed well bellow 60000 seats. Then there is the Issue of 56 modern Corporate Suites at Abuja National Stadium which would at 20 seats a peice would put it above 1000 additional seats . Then there is a presidential Lounge Area .

just about everything you bring to the table is Bogus to be the kindest

Jim jones

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So, in conclusion you admit you were wrong about saying Abuja had the biggest athletics stadium in the commonwealth. 81 seats count! Well done!That's really mature of you Jim. :D

Again, Scotland sends her best wishes to you and Abuja's bid. If you need any advice from me when you are elected president of Abuja's committee, just send me a message mate. I'll happily educate you.

Jim, if you hate me so much (as you are racist against Scots) why do you spend most of your time on Gamesbid quoting me? That's a bit strange.

Anyway. Talk to the hand sista........

Well I am sure they would love your advice that an Outdoor Aquatics center is not good enough in your Eyes but hey Fina must be ignoring your sage wisdom after all

outdoor seems to have passed the standard for

ROMA 09 . Fina Worlds

Montreal 05 . Fina Worlds

The US 2004 olympic trials

Perth 1998 Fina World Championships

Palma de Mallorca 1999 University Games

Barcelona 2003 X FINA World Championships

Malaga 2008 European Water Polo

1994 Rome VII FINA World Championships

Rio de Janeiro 1995 II FINA World Championships (25m)

Wien 1995 European Championships

Atlanta 1996 Centenary Olympic Games

Then of course there was the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics and LA 84 among others

All Fina Events. I guess weather must be pretty crappy in Scotland all the Time if you have to go to indoor venue for a July hosting of the Commonwealth Games

Jim Jones

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Nope will never admit that because I said Abuja National Stadium is the Largest IAAF Class one Stadium in the Commonwealth which it is PHYSICALLY MORON . Go download google earth and see LOL.

You are depending on Wikipedia and Bloggers as your source info while this comes right from the Commonwealth Stadiums Website

http://www.edmonton.ca/attractions_recreat...th-stadium.aspx

Commonwealth Stadium, located at 11000 Stadium Road, seats 60,000 fans and is the home of the Edmonton Eskimos.

Commonwealth Stadium hosts major sports events including the World Masters Games, the FIFA-19 Women's World Championship, the IAAF World Championship, the Commonwealth Games and the Grey Cup. It is also an excellent venue for world-class events such as the Heritage Classic outdoor NHL game in November 2003 and The Police Reunion Tour in June 2007.

First paragraph of the very Website of the City of Edmonton seems to me to be a way better source then some guy probably having communications with Susan Boyles CAT LOL.

Now as to Seating Capacity it has MORE bonfide seats that would pass for IOC , FIFA and even your vaulted UEFA standards Abuja Abuja Abuja . OH and by the Way Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium for Next year will be getting new seats and the Capacity will be reduced bellow Abuja's published Total which will be indeed well bellow 60000 seats. Then there is the Issue of 56 modern Corporate Suites at Abuja National Stadium which would at 20 seats a peice would put it above 1000 additional seats . Then there is a presidential Lounge Area .

just about everything you bring to the table is Bogus to be the kindest

Jim jones

You said Abuja had the largest capacity, not the largest physical size. But I have corrected you Jim.

Oakydoky: Correct

Jim Jones: Wrong

ROFL!

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You said Abuja had the largest capacity, not the largest physical size. But I have corrected you Jim.

Oakydoky: Correct

Jim Jones: Wrong

ROFL!

Ah your wrong AGAIN on that fact as well Abuja National Stadium is the Largest IAAF Class One Stadium by Capacity Higher then Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium according to the Best Source the Architects because I have the Proof right from the Architects Website not Wikipedia which anyone can edit as I do the Topic 2018 commonwealth games along with some other commonwealth games years inwhich in inserted the bid election. First the official estimation of seating on the Architects website saying about 60500 seats, Again you real to many blogs and rely on Wikipedia entirely . Jim Jones read it and weap sheep breathe

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...FB_enCA217CA218

Then the official count which is Capacity: 60,491 seats

http://74.125.115.132/translate_c?hl=en&am...84zN_XUns4EjPog

Page 1

National Stadium Complex Abuja/Nigeria National Stadium Complex Abuja / Nigeria

Planung des olympischen Planning of the Olympic

Stadions in Abuja/Nigeria für Stadium in Abuja, Nigeria for

die 8. the 8th Panafrikanischen Spiele Pan-African Games

im Oktober 2003 October 2003

Anfang Juli 2000 fanden die Beginning in July 2000 found the

ersten Planungsgespräche initial planning meetings

statt. instead. Laut Terminplan war The schedule was

bereits im November 2000 die in November 2000

erweiterte Entwurfsplanung Advanced Design

gefordert. required.

Die bauliche Realisierung The physical realization

begann zeitgleich in Abhängig- started simultaneously in addiction

keit von der Regenzeit, in der ability of the rainy season, in the

von April bis August bis zu 600 April to August up to 600

Liter Regen je Sekunde und Liters of rain per second and

Hektar fallen können. Hectares fall. Im März In March

2003 wurde das Stadion dem In 2003, the stadium which

Bauherrn termingerecht über- Time on client -

geben. give.

Die extrem kurze Planungs- The extremely short planning

und Koordinationszeit konnte time and coordination could

nur eingehalten werden, weil only be met because

bei allen Beteiligten bereits by all parties already

Erfahrungen aus der Planung Experiences from the planning

von Großstadien vorlagen. of large stadiums available.

Der enge Kontakt zur Bau- The close contact with the construction

leitung vor Ort ermöglichte conducted on-site allowed

zielgerichtete, an die stand- targeted to the stand -

ortbezogenen Bedingungen ortbezogenen conditions

angepasste Detaillösungen. customized solutions.

Stadiontyp und Konstruktion: Stadiontyp and construction:

Nach IOC, FIFA und IAAF- According to IOC, FIFA and IAAF -

Normen zugelassenes Olym- Standards approved Olym -

pisches Stadion mit 8 bzw. 10 atypical stadium with 8 or 10

400-Meter-Bahnen. 400-meter lanes.

Komplett überdachtes 2-Rang- Fully enclosed 2-rank

Stadion. Stadium. Unterer Rang teilweise Lower Rank partially

eingegraben. entrenched. Oberer Rang auf Upper rank

36 Doppelstützen, die gleich- 36 double columns, the same

zeitig als Lastabtragung der At the same time as removal of the load

Dachkonstruktion dienen. Roof serve.

Stadiondach als Membran- As the stadium roof membrane

dach auf vorgespannter Seil-/ dach on prestressed rope /

Speichenrad-Konstruktion mit Spoked construction with

36 Seilbindern, aufgelöstem 36 Seilbindern, dissolved

inneren Zugring und äußerem inner and outer Zugring

Betondruckring. Concrete pressure ring.

Projekt Project

Planungsdaten Planning data

Leistungen Benefits

Kapazität: 60.491 Sitzplätze Capacity: 60,491 seats

Gebäudefläche: 18.100 m² BGF Building Area: 18,100 m² GFA

Baukosten: ca. 180 Mio € Cost: about € 180 million

Grundlagenermittlung Basis for determining

Entwurfs-/Ausführungsplanung Entwurfs-/Ausführungsplanung

Leistungsbeschreibung Specifications

Vorbereitung der Vergabe Preparation of the award

Gestalterische Oberleitung Design overhead

Auftraggeber: Client:

Regierung von Nigeria über Government of Nigeria on

Julius Berger Nigeria und Bil- Julius Berger Nigeria and educa -

finger-Berger AG int. als GU finger-Berger AG Intl as GU

Bearbeitungszeitraum: Processing time:

08/2000 bis 03/2003 08/2000 to 03/2003

In Arbeitsgemeinschaft mit In association with

WP-Consulting, Schlaich, Ber- WP-Consulting, Schlaich, Ber -

germann & Partner, IB Scholze Germann & Partners, IB Scholz

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Ah your wrong AGAIN on that fact as well Abuja National Stadium is the Largest IAAF Class One Stadium by Capacity Higher then Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium according to the Best Source the Architects because I have the Proof right from the Architects Website not Wikipedia which anyone can edit as I do the Topic 2018 commonwealth games along with some other commonwealth games years inwhich in inserted the bid election. First the official estimation of seating on the Architects website saying about 60500 seats, Again you real to many blogs and rely on Wikipedia entirely . Jim Jones read it and weap sheep breathe

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...FB_enCA217CA218

Then the official count which is Capacity: 60,491 seats

http://74.125.115.132/translate_c?hl=en&am...84zN_XUns4EjPog

Page 1

National Stadium Complex Abuja/Nigeria National Stadium Complex Abuja / Nigeria

Planung des olympischen Planning of the Olympic

Stadions in Abuja/Nigeria für Stadium in Abuja, Nigeria for

die 8. the 8th Panafrikanischen Spiele Pan-African Games

im Oktober 2003 October 2003

Anfang Juli 2000 fanden die Beginning in July 2000 found the

ersten Planungsgespräche initial planning meetings

statt. instead. Laut Terminplan war The schedule was

bereits im November 2000 die in November 2000

erweiterte Entwurfsplanung Advanced Design

gefordert. required.

Die bauliche Realisierung The physical realization

begann zeitgleich in Abhängig- started simultaneously in addiction

keit von der Regenzeit, in der ability of the rainy season, in the

von April bis August bis zu 600 April to August up to 600

Liter Regen je Sekunde und Liters of rain per second and

Hektar fallen können. Hectares fall. Im März In March

2003 wurde das Stadion dem In 2003, the stadium which

Bauherrn termingerecht über- Time on client -

geben. give.

Die extrem kurze Planungs- The extremely short planning

und Koordinationszeit konnte time and coordination could

nur eingehalten werden, weil only be met because

bei allen Beteiligten bereits by all parties already

Erfahrungen aus der Planung Experiences from the planning

von Großstadien vorlagen. of large stadiums available.

Der enge Kontakt zur Bau- The close contact with the construction

leitung vor Ort ermöglichte conducted on-site allowed

zielgerichtete, an die stand- targeted to the stand -

ortbezogenen Bedingungen ortbezogenen conditions

angepasste Detaillösungen. customized solutions.

Stadiontyp und Konstruktion: Stadiontyp and construction:

Nach IOC, FIFA und IAAF- According to IOC, FIFA and IAAF -

Normen zugelassenes Olym- Standards approved Olym -

pisches Stadion mit 8 bzw. 10 atypical stadium with 8 or 10

400-Meter-Bahnen. 400-meter lanes.

Komplett überdachtes 2-Rang- Fully enclosed 2-rank

Stadion. Stadium. Unterer Rang teilweise Lower Rank partially

eingegraben. entrenched. Oberer Rang auf Upper rank

36 Doppelstützen, die gleich- 36 double columns, the same

zeitig als Lastabtragung der At the same time as removal of the load

Dachkonstruktion dienen. Roof serve.

Stadiondach als Membran- As the stadium roof membrane

dach auf vorgespannter Seil-/ dach on prestressed rope /

Speichenrad-Konstruktion mit Spoked construction with

36 Seilbindern, aufgelöstem 36 Seilbindern, dissolved

inneren Zugring und äußerem inner and outer Zugring

Betondruckring. Concrete pressure ring.

Projekt Project

Planungsdaten Planning data

Leistungen Benefits

Kapazität: 60.491 Sitzplätze Capacity: 60,491 seats

Gebäudefläche: 18.100 m² BGF Building Area: 18,100 m² GFA

Baukosten: ca. 180 Mio € Cost: about € 180 million

Grundlagenermittlung Basis for determining

Entwurfs-/Ausführungsplanung Entwurfs-/Ausführungsplanung

Leistungsbeschreibung Specifications

Vorbereitung der Vergabe Preparation of the award

Gestalterische Oberleitung Design overhead

Auftraggeber: Client:

Regierung von Nigeria über Government of Nigeria on

Julius Berger Nigeria und Bil- Julius Berger Nigeria and educa -

finger-Berger AG int. als GU finger-Berger AG Intl as GU

Bearbeitungszeitraum: Processing time:

08/2000 bis 03/2003 08/2000 to 03/2003

In Arbeitsgemeinschaft mit In association with

WP-Consulting, Schlaich, Ber- WP-Consulting, Schlaich, Ber -

germann & Partner, IB Scholze Germann & Partners, IB Scholz

Jim, you talk about how big things are an awful lot. Are you a size queen?

Anyway, I digress.............

Back to the TOPIC:

GO ABUJA!!!

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Jim Jones, the Edmonton Stadium when it was first built had a capacity of only 42.5K. It was expanded to its current capacity for the 1983 Universiade.

not looking to Wikipedia like the guy from Scotland does what are the chances that they would have an even 60,000 seats ? Well turns out the Wikipedia and other online sources are indeed WRONG on Abuja National Stadium . The Actually Count per the Architect's website is 60,491 seats or exactly 410 seats more if you go by the Wikipedia figure Sheep Breathe has lacked onto . You go to the City of Edmonton site and you find they state 60000 seats for their stadium . for the grey cup next year they are installing all new seating and they will be taking out seats to make every row even numbers of seats.

Here is the references but hey you will not believe it anyways LOL . If you only believe wikipedia go and see what the seating capacity of Abuja National stadium is now ROTFLMAO are tartan boy. Gee tartan boy where did you get your research skills MO RUSH

Jim Jones

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Jim, you talk about how big things are an awful lot. Are you a size queen?

Anyway, I digress.............

Back to the TOPIC:

GO ABUJA!!!

So Admit Tartan Boy I am Right and you are wrong AGAIN Man I wonder if you are somehow Mo Rushs long lost twin ROTFLAMO at the two of you

Jim Jones

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Two URLs with the official capacity of Abuja National Stadium. first the pdf from the Architects and second the architect website that you will have to navigate to buildings and project no. 177

ttp://74.125.115.132/translate_c?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.gus-ai.de/pdf/B177_AST-Stadion.pdf&prev=/search%3Fq%3DGuS%2BStuttgart%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B2GGFB_enCA217CA218&rurl=translate.google.com&usg=ALkJrhisG1IRxoBmWUz84zN_XUns4EjPog

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...FB_enCA217CA218

Jim Jones

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ABUJA NATIONAL STADIUM: A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN

June 8, 2009, 8:27 pm

Filed under: football | Tags: abuja, Africa, disaster, football, nigeria, stadium, super eagles

There was a moment when I was in the crush, when I could feel other people’s knees and elbows digging into my body, when it became just a little bit harder to breathe. The gates ahead of us were locked. Officials were frantically looking for a key, but couldn’t find one. A police officer picked up a rock and started hammering it against the chains. The crush got a little bit tighter. The police horse to my right couldn’t move, rammed in against bodies on all sides.

Suddenly, the chain was smashed and the gates opened. Everyone surged forwards and we staggered, one by one, through the turnstiles, grinning and laughing, relieved that we were out of the melee.

During the few hours I spent at Nigeria’s national stadium in Abuja for the Super Eagles’ World Cup match against Kenya there were several incidents like that which could have been fatal.

The police seemed more interested in taking a whack at fans then guaranteeing our safety. As we walked up towards the stadium a few hours before kick off, black-clad police appeared waving branches they had just ripped off nearby trees. Anyone without a ticket in their hand got a beating. I saw one guy struggling to get his out of his wallet as three police officers took aim at his legs and back.

Too many tickets had been sold. An hour before kick-off the public address announcer implored those fans standing in the gangways and at the back of the stands to move up to the second tier. A few yards to my left there was a loud crackling noise as a police officer used a cattle prod to disperse some fans. They responded by throwing water bottles and cans.

There was nowhere for the fans to go. By the time the match started every gangway was full, as were the entrances at the back of the stands. In front of us tall metal mesh fences separated fans from the running track and the pitch – the sort of fences which proved so deadly at Hillsborough 20 years ago.

If something had happened – a fire, a fight – there would have been nowhere to run.

Too many stadiums in Africa have a problem with crowd safety. In Ivory Coast 19 people were killed earlier this year, while eight died in Monrovia the year before. Every single one of the last 10 stadium disasters around the world happened in Africa.

Some of the problems are relatively simple to deal with. For a start, don’t be greedy and try and sell more tickets than there are seats. The crumbling state of many of the stadia is also a fairly straightforward to solve if money is available.

Other problems are a bit harder. It takes a lot of time, and a lot of will, to change a culture of policing which views football fans as animals. In England things only started to change after 96 Liverpool fans died at Hillsborough.

On the pitch Nigeria beat Kenya 3-0. The match was more even than the scoreline suggests and the Super Eagles may struggle against Tunisia, their main rivals in the World Cup qualifying group. It would be a shame if some of the continent’s best players don’t make it to Africa’s first World Cup. It would be a tragedy if any of their fans were killed along the way.

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That Abuja Stadium!

By

Mideno Bayagbon

I was in Abuja last week and saw first hand the progress made so far in the construction of the National Stadium in Abuja. On the face of it, it promises to be a beautiful stadium, on its own right, that will seat 60,000 football fans.

Though still a far cry from the technological wonder stadia built by the Koreans and Japanese for the 2002 world cup, it nonetheless tintillates the eyes. Nevertheless, there is nothing in the emerging stadium, which suggests it is in the same class as even the renovated Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, not to mention the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

I have been to the famous Wembley stadium in the United Kingdom now slated for destruction, and I have seen the architectural masterpiece designed to replace it. I have also seen other stadia in the world and there is no way, in all sincerity I can say the Abuja stadium is anything resembling a stadium on which any nation will spend close to $900 million. Neither Korea nor Japan threw away such an amount on what is today regarded as the most modern stadia in the world. I am talking about stadia built with the cutting edge of technology. For example, some of these stadia are for multi-purpose uses. Apart from having roofs that can be opened and shut, the football field can, with the touch of a button be rolled away: switched for a lawn tennis court, or simply for a hard concrete parking lot. Though I am yet to confirm it, one of them is even said to have a swimming pool under ready for use during swimming competitions. With the Abuja stadium, I did not even see good offices, restaurants, and other modern ancillaries of the most rudimentary of stadia facilities. I might be wrong, but with the skeleton I saw in Abuja last week, there is nothing on earth that should make that stadium cost more than even an over-estimate of $150 million.

With this in mind, I cannot fathom how we have arrived at awarding this stadium for N100 billion or $900 million or about 650 million pounds sterling. Did the president and his executive council approve this contract? Did he know that a Chinese company bidded to build a 120,000 capacity (double the current one) stadium at what was known then as an exaggerated cost of N37 billion (almost three times less than the price the stadium, at half this capacity, was eventually awarded for)? Was the executive council told that the North Koreans, a few years back offered to build the Abuja stadium at less than what the Chinese bidded, on a barter for our oil?

The vice president’s office sometime ago told Nigerians who had any complain to make about the cost of the stadium to jump into the nearest river, and drown their criticism; that the World Bank has fully approved of the project and the cost. Which is surprising. I do not believe it. It is most unlikely that the World Bank, at a time the Nigerian economy was in dire straits, needing all the economic antidotes to set on the part of recovery will approve an unnecessary project and three, four, five times the cost in other countries. It is bad enough that the Obasanjo government thinks that this white elephant project is what is needed now. To rob the public purse with this grossly over-estimated cost, is to go a step too far.

I want to be challenged that this is the most expensive project of its type, ever in the world. Nigerians must demand an explanation from this government why it cost us so much to build a 60,000 capacity stadium than it is costing say the United Kingdom to build the new Wembley stadium.

We must ask the government what economic imperatives propelled the building of a stadium over the construction of basic infrastructures which have virtually collapsed nationwide. I am wont to believe that the president may have been deceived into awarding this contract, at the reversed price of N100 billion, by those who think so little of the President’s anti-corruption drive.

This grand rip-off in the name of the Abuja National Stadium must be sent to the Akanbi panel on anti-corruption, or one will be forced to agree with the general view now that this is major financial source the Obasanjo-Atiku re-election bid is being hinged on.

If the National Assembly has not proven so useless to what is of interest to the people of Nigeria; if the self- interests and jostling for better footing to loot our economy has not been of greater interest to some of thess fellows, perhaps they would have since taken up the issue, investigated it and told us why this stadium should cost about $900 million while the new stadium being built by the Arsenal Football club is costing about 150 million pounds sterling on a far better stadium at Anfield.

Our legislators would perhaps have looked into this white elephant and stopped it from even taking off by re-directing the fund to be committed into it, into say six major roads across the country; a new multi-laned Shagamu-Benin- Asaba-Onitisha-Enugu-Port Harcourt-Uyo expressway on the one hand, and similar major roads to link all the six geo-political zones of the country on the other.

Would it not have been of a more vital economic sense to use one half of this sum to build a coastal road that will link Lagos to all the coastal states?

Would it not have made more economic sense to have used this money to retool our university system, even if it is to update their libraries and computerise them? What is so important, so urgent in having a 60,000 capacity stadium in Abuja? Even at that, I challenge the government to be transparent, release all the details about this stadium and why it is costing the nation so much and go public with comparative figures of stadia in other countries that were built at about $1 billion as we are ending up with.

We must get to the bottom of this scam.

August 2002

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ABUJA NATIONAL STADIUM: A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN

June 8, 2009, 8:27 pm

Filed under: football | Tags: abuja, Africa, disaster, football, nigeria, stadium, super eagles

There was a moment when I was in the crush, when I could feel other people’s knees and elbows digging into my body, when it became just a little bit harder to breathe. The gates ahead of us were locked. Officials were frantically looking for a key, but couldn’t find one. A police officer picked up a rock and started hammering it against the chains. The crush got a little bit tighter. The police horse to my right couldn’t move, rammed in against bodies on all sides.

Suddenly, the chain was smashed and the gates opened. Everyone surged forwards and we staggered, one by one, through the turnstiles, grinning and laughing, relieved that we were out of the melee.

During the few hours I spent at Nigeria’s national stadium in Abuja for the Super Eagles’ World Cup match against Kenya there were several incidents like that which could have been fatal.

The police seemed more interested in taking a whack at fans then guaranteeing our safety. As we walked up towards the stadium a few hours before kick off, black-clad police appeared waving branches they had just ripped off nearby trees. Anyone without a ticket in their hand got a beating. I saw one guy struggling to get his out of his wallet as three police officers took aim at his legs and back.

Too many tickets had been sold. An hour before kick-off the public address announcer implored those fans standing in the gangways and at the back of the stands to move up to the second tier. A few yards to my left there was a loud crackling noise as a police officer used a cattle prod to disperse some fans. They responded by throwing water bottles and cans.

There was nowhere for the fans to go. By the time the match started every gangway was full, as were the entrances at the back of the stands. In front of us tall metal mesh fences separated fans from the running track and the pitch – the sort of fences which proved so deadly at Hillsborough 20 years ago.

If something had happened – a fire, a fight – there would have been nowhere to run.

Too many stadiums in Africa have a problem with crowd safety. In Ivory Coast 19 people were killed earlier this year, while eight died in Monrovia the year before. Every single one of the last 10 stadium disasters around the world happened in Africa.

Some of the problems are relatively simple to deal with. For a start, don’t be greedy and try and sell more tickets than there are seats. The crumbling state of many of the stadia is also a fairly straightforward to solve if money is available.

Other problems are a bit harder. It takes a lot of time, and a lot of will, to change a culture of policing which views football fans as animals. In England things only started to change after 96 Liverpool fans died at Hillsborough.

On the pitch Nigeria beat Kenya 3-0. The match was more even than the scoreline suggests and the Super Eagles may struggle against Tunisia, their main rivals in the World Cup qualifying group. It would be a shame if some of the continent’s best players don’t make it to Africa’s first World Cup. It would be a tragedy if any of their fans were killed along the way.

Gee for a guy who believes Glasgow won on the count of a so called superior bid you certainly don't act that way . The only thing indeed superior for the graduate Degrees for glasgow university for 50 developing commonwealth nations students and the cases of Johnnie Walker afforded to delegates in Columbo .

Considering Abuja 2014 stuck with a code of ethics for bid campaigning that would be approved for any IOC bidding but somehow the Federation has keep with the days prior to the Salt lake Bidding scandal.

yeah your people really showed their strips and even had to justify it to the Scottish press

Jim jones

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That Abuja Stadium!

By

Mideno Bayagbon

I was in Abuja last week and saw first hand the progress made so far in the construction of the National Stadium in Abuja. On the face of it, it promises to be a beautiful stadium, on its own right, that will seat 60,000 football fans.

Though still a far cry from the technological wonder stadia built by the Koreans and Japanese for the 2002 world cup, it nonetheless tintillates the eyes. Nevertheless, there is nothing in the emerging stadium, which suggests it is in the same class as even the renovated Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, not to mention the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

I have been to the famous Wembley stadium in the United Kingdom now slated for destruction, and I have seen the architectural masterpiece designed to replace it. I have also seen other stadia in the world and there is no way, in all sincerity I can say the Abuja stadium is anything resembling a stadium on which any nation will spend close to $900 million. Neither Korea nor Japan threw away such an amount on what is today regarded as the most modern stadia in the world. I am talking about stadia built with the cutting edge of technology. For example, some of these stadia are for multi-purpose uses. Apart from having roofs that can be opened and shut, the football field can, with the touch of a button be rolled away: switched for a lawn tennis court, or simply for a hard concrete parking lot. Though I am yet to confirm it, one of them is even said to have a swimming pool under ready for use during swimming competitions. With the Abuja stadium, I did not even see good offices, restaurants, and other modern ancillaries of the most rudimentary of stadia facilities. I might be wrong, but with the skeleton I saw in Abuja last week, there is nothing on earth that should make that stadium cost more than even an over-estimate of $150 million.

With this in mind, I cannot fathom how we have arrived at awarding this stadium for N100 billion or $900 million or about 650 million pounds sterling. Did the president and his executive council approve this contract? Did he know that a Chinese company bidded to build a 120,000 capacity (double the current one) stadium at what was known then as an exaggerated cost of N37 billion (almost three times less than the price the stadium, at half this capacity, was eventually awarded for)? Was the executive council told that the North Koreans, a few years back offered to build the Abuja stadium at less than what the Chinese bidded, on a barter for our oil?

The vice president’s office sometime ago told Nigerians who had any complain to make about the cost of the stadium to jump into the nearest river, and drown their criticism; that the World Bank has fully approved of the project and the cost. Which is surprising. I do not believe it. It is most unlikely that the World Bank, at a time the Nigerian economy was in dire straits, needing all the economic antidotes to set on the part of recovery will approve an unnecessary project and three, four, five times the cost in other countries. It is bad enough that the Obasanjo government thinks that this white elephant project is what is needed now. To rob the public purse with this grossly over-estimated cost, is to go a step too far.

I want to be challenged that this is the most expensive project of its type, ever in the world. Nigerians must demand an explanation from this government why it cost us so much to build a 60,000 capacity stadium than it is costing say the United Kingdom to build the new Wembley stadium.

We must ask the government what economic imperatives propelled the building of a stadium over the construction of basic infrastructures which have virtually collapsed nationwide. I am wont to believe that the president may have been deceived into awarding this contract, at the reversed price of N100 billion, by those who think so little of the President’s anti-corruption drive.

This grand rip-off in the name of the Abuja National Stadium must be sent to the Akanbi panel on anti-corruption, or one will be forced to agree with the general view now that this is major financial source the Obasanjo-Atiku re-election bid is being hinged on.

If the National Assembly has not proven so useless to what is of interest to the people of Nigeria; if the self- interests and jostling for better footing to loot our economy has not been of greater interest to some of thess fellows, perhaps they would have since taken up the issue, investigated it and told us why this stadium should cost about $900 million while the new stadium being built by the Arsenal Football club is costing about 150 million pounds sterling on a far better stadium at Anfield.

Our legislators would perhaps have looked into this white elephant and stopped it from even taking off by re-directing the fund to be committed into it, into say six major roads across the country; a new multi-laned Shagamu-Benin- Asaba-Onitisha-Enugu-Port Harcourt-Uyo expressway on the one hand, and similar major roads to link all the six geo-political zones of the country on the other.

Would it not have been of a more vital economic sense to use one half of this sum to build a coastal road that will link Lagos to all the coastal states?

Would it not have made more economic sense to have used this money to retool our university system, even if it is to update their libraries and computerise them? What is so important, so urgent in having a 60,000 capacity stadium in Abuja? Even at that, I challenge the government to be transparent, release all the details about this stadium and why it is costing the nation so much and go public with comparative figures of stadia in other countries that were built at about $1 billion as we are ending up with.

We must get to the bottom of this scam.

August 2002

You quoting blogs again . I hope the Nurses in the mental ward don't have any writing pens because I have a feeling you like many of your friends in Scotland have a thing for shape objects LOL.

ROTFLMAO

JIM jones

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Gee for a guy who believes Glasgow won on the count of a so called superior bid you certainly don't act that way . The only thing indeed superior for the graduate Degrees for glasgow university for 50 developing commonwealth nations students and the cases of Johnnie Walker afforded to delegates in Columbo .

Considering Abuja 2014 stuck with a code of ethics for bid campaigning that would be approved for any IOC bidding but somehow the Federation has keep with the days prior to the Salt lake Bidding scandal.

yeah your people really showed their strips and even had to justify it to the Scottish press

Jim jones

I am posting things relevant to the topic of this thread - FUTURE AFRICAN BIDS. Can you read?

P.S. Have you been formally inducted into the Abuja 2018 bid team yet? A man with your knowledge is such an asset! Jim, you go and do Abuja proud! Yo go sista! And remember, if you need any help, just look to the 2014 victors.........you know who they are Jim-Bro.

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I am posting things relevant to the topic of this thread - FUTURE AFRICAN BIDS. Can you read?

P.S. Have you been formally inducted into the Abuja 2018 bid team yet? A man with your knowledge is such an asset! Jim, you go and do Abuja proud! Yo go sista! And remember, if you need any help, just look to the 2014 victors.........you know who they are Jim-Bro.

Yeah like I said the Nigerians ironically despite a rep for corruption in their society would not go into the gutter to win like Glasgow. So basically why indeed would we recruit from Scotland ?

The Fact is I have someone very interested in working for an Abuja 2018 bid with key games experience back to Atlanta 1996 and was involved with Glasgow 2014 but this person is not Scottish and not even British. The person has worked multiple sports festivals in many positions dealing with commonwealth family members and olympic family members. This is why I say basically anyone who put their mind to it could assemble a winning bid effort because it is the Human resources a Bid city gets not the content of a bid really . A Dick Pound a Canadian has said a bid is a document of creative BS. BS in most cases that never become reality.

The fact is a Second time bidder and the Geographic Location for Abuja compared to Gold Coast Australia or Auckland would make Abuja pretty darn strong if there are indeed not bidding near the Zero longitude line.

Bids win on timing and knowledge of the history of what has happened in the past. This requires great research . That is laid out in White Papers on sports hosting ironically by both the New Zealand and South Africa Governments.

Edinburgh did not get the nod as Scotland's 2014 candidate because they indeed realized their chances were next to nil of winning if you look at the history . As I recall no one here had a clue of Bid Election including myself of results even post 2014 election except for the Prior Bid Election for 2010.

Get a look at that entire history and the worst region to bid but host was Europe with a mere 25 percent of bids being successful . Look at the last 18 years of bids for the Commonwealth games and you will see The Big four have done poorly . The Developing Commonwealth has won 2 out of 3 bid contests. Two unopposed bids in England and Australia within that time as well. With 2014 Glasgow the European region become tied for the worst to have staged games with Oceania. THe two most incredible bid nations of all are Jamaica and Canada having 75 percent of all the Americas and Caribbean bids win on first tries. England . Scotland and New Zealand all had to reapply to host and England is yet to win a bid contest having Manchester 2002 the result of a orphaned cycle. Australia again has never won a bid in election.

The only way a bid from the big four may win is if they are unopposed or there is indeed no Developing Commonwealth Candidate. The days of New Delhi losing to Victoria are gone and probably the day that Africa finally stages the games could indeed be 2018 or 2022.

Jim jones

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Yeah like I said the Nigerians ironically despite a rep for corruption in their society would not go into the gutter to win like Glasgow. So basically why indeed would we recruit from Scotland ?

The Fact is I have someone very interested in working for an Abuja 2018 bid with key games experience back to Atlanta 1996 and was involved with Glasgow 2014 but this person is not Scottish and not even British. The person has worked multiple sports festivals in many positions dealing with commonwealth family members and olympic family members. This is why I say basically anyone who put their mind to it could assemble a winning bid effort because it is the Human resources a Bid city gets not the content of a bid really . A Dick Pound a Canadian has said a bid is a document of creative BS. BS in most cases that never become reality.

The fact is a Second time bidder and the Geographic Location for Abuja compared to Gold Coast Australia or Auckland would make Abuja pretty darn strong if there are indeed not bidding near the Zero longitude line.

Bids win on timing and knowledge of the history of what has happened in the past. This requires great research . That is laid out in White Papers on sports hosting ironically by both the New Zealand and South Africa Governments.

Edinburgh did not get the nod as Scotland's 2014 candidate because they indeed realized their chances were next to nil of winning if you look at the history . As I recall no one here had a clue of Bid Election including myself of results even post 2014 election except for the Prior Bid Election for 2010.

Get a look at that entire history and the worst region to bid but host was Europe with a mere 25 percent of bids being successful . Look at the last 18 years of bids for the Commonwealth games and you will see The Big four have done poorly . The Developing Commonwealth has won 2 out of 3 bid contests. Two unopposed bids in England and Australia within that time as well. With 2014 Glasgow the European region become tied for the worst to have staged games with Oceania. THe two most incredible bid nations of all are Jamaica and Canada having 75 percent of all the Americas and Caribbean bids win on first tries. England . Scotland and New Zealand all had to reapply to host and England is yet to win a bid contest having Manchester 2002 the result of a orphaned cycle. Australia again has never won a bid in election.

The only way a bid from the big four may win is if they are unopposed or there is indeed no Developing Commonwealth Candidate. The days of New Delhi losing to Victoria are gone and probably the day that Africa finally stages the games could indeed be 2018 or 2022.

Jim jones

F.U.T.U.R.E. A.F.R.I.C.A.N B.I.D.S

Jim, stick to the topic without rambling on about non African bids. Everyone else can stick to the topic except you!

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F.U.T.U.R.E. A.F.R.I.C.A.N B.I.D.S

Jim, stick to the topic without rambling on about non African bids. Everyone else can stick to the topic except you!

And what relevance are your lectures about civil wars and islamic dictatorships that don't exist ? Gosh didn't you people in the UK have scores die at the hillsborough stadium a couple of decades ago ?

On Nigeria's preparations for Fifa U17 being held this year in Nigeria comes this in regards to the broadcast abilities

FIFA that is not ready to compromise on the quality of the broadcast of the event has already awarded the live telecast of the Draws to DAAR Communications owners of the African Independent Television (AIT). Just last week, the men in Zurich directed the Local Organising Committee of the Nigeria 2009 to liaise with DAAR Communications on how to ensure a hitch free draws in the Nigerian capital city. Of course, FIFA is not unaware that AIT is the only television station in the country that has the capacity to broadcast on the High Definition broadcast facility needed for the global audience. Having undertaken a tour of the facilities both the AIT and the national network, the NTA was offering to become the host broadcaster, FIFA’s Vice President, Jack Warner had last February thumbed-up Chief Raymond Dokpesi for investing so much to make AIT a global brand. Warner did not mince words in insisting that what AIT has on ground were good enough to host even the FIFA World Cup. As far as Warner and Messrs HBS AG who have the broadcast right for all FIFA competitions till 2014 were concerned, no other Nigerian television station has the capacity to broadcast on High Definition. NTA’s Standard Definition was way out of the requirement for such a high-tech event. And so it was unexpected to see the Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, in her wisdom, push the Federal Executive Council to approve, paraphrasing her: “A whopping N8.2billion to use in upgrading NTA’s facilities from Standard Definition (SD) to High Definition in the bid not to make Nigeria lose the broadcast right to a foreign country.”

So you have a private Network with HD in Nigeria and the Governments NTA trying to catch up spending 90 million dollars. But hey people all live in mud huts in Africa LOL. Looks to me while New Delhi has their problems sorting out who will be the HD provider for 2010 Nigeria and Fifa have the base covered for a small Fifa Tournament but a Tournament with a greater geographically spread then the commonwealth games er Well atleast until 2014 when the co op games with a former host city will occur LOL.

Jim Jones

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And what relevance are your lectures about civil wars and islamic dictatorships that don't exist ? Gosh didn't you people in the UK have scores die at the hillsborough stadium a couple of decades ago ?

On Nigeria's preparations for Fifa U17 being held this year in Nigeria comes this in regards to the broadcast abilities

FIFA that is not ready to compromise on the quality of the broadcast of the event has already awarded the live telecast of the Draws to DAAR Communications owners of the African Independent Television (AIT). Just last week, the men in Zurich directed the Local Organising Committee of the Nigeria 2009 to liaise with DAAR Communications on how to ensure a hitch free draws in the Nigerian capital city. Of course, FIFA is not unaware that AIT is the only television station in the country that has the capacity to broadcast on the High Definition broadcast facility needed for the global audience. Having undertaken a tour of the facilities both the AIT and the national network, the NTA was offering to become the host broadcaster, FIFA’s Vice President, Jack Warner had last February thumbed-up Chief Raymond Dokpesi for investing so much to make AIT a global brand. Warner did not mince words in insisting that what AIT has on ground were good enough to host even the FIFA World Cup. As far as Warner and Messrs HBS AG who have the broadcast right for all FIFA competitions till 2014 were concerned, no other Nigerian television station has the capacity to broadcast on High Definition. NTA’s Standard Definition was way out of the requirement for such a high-tech event. And so it was unexpected to see the Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, in her wisdom, push the Federal Executive Council to approve, paraphrasing her: “A whopping N8.2billion to use in upgrading NTA’s facilities from Standard Definition (SD) to High Definition in the bid not to make Nigeria lose the broadcast right to a foreign country.”

So you have a private Network with HD in Nigeria and the Governments NTA trying to catch up spending 90 million dollars. But hey people all live in mud huts in Africa LOL. Looks to me while New Delhi has their problems sorting out who will be the HD provider for 2010 Nigeria and Fifa have the base covered for a small Fifa Tournament but a Tournament with a greater geographically spread then the commonwealth games er Well atleast until 2014 when the co op games with a former host city will occur LOL.

Jim Jones

Jim, I have already posted you the link about Nigeria's civil war and explained that a fragile nation with war is obviously a hazard for athletes. Further, the northern states of Nigeria (12 of them) are under Sharia law - that is why there is a civil war. Non Muslim Nigerians are fighting to prevent Islamists from taking over the whole nation.

So mate, why don't you get things back on topic. How is Abuja's 2018 bid coming along? Are you the leader of the bid team yet? Do tell Jim. We wait with bated breath! :lol: Have you been back to the 60,000 seat stadium ? (not biggest in commonwealth). And more importantly, did you make more 'snow angels'?

ROFL

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Jim, I have already posted you the link about Nigeria's civil war and explained that a fragile nation with war is obviously a hazard for athletes. Further, the northern states of Nigeria (12 of them) are under Sharia law - that is why there is a civil war. Non Muslim Nigerians are fighting to prevent Islamists from taking over the whole nation.

So mate, why don't you get things back on topic. How is Abuja's 2018 bid coming along? Are you the leader of the bid team yet? Do tell Jim. We wait with bated breath! :lol: Have you been back to the 60,000 seat stadium ? (not biggest in commonwealth). And more importantly, did you make more 'snow angels'?

ROFL

So in another other words unless you accept the practice of gay lifestyles and putting rodents where the sun doesn't shine you can't host the commonwealth games ? How many 'Christians' do you think there are in Malaysia or India who have either staged the games or are about to ? Considering Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nigeria have more population each then the UK or any of the White Commonwealth Nations and their populations are far from christian maybe you should think about the implications of that . At least their religions don't sub divide themselves or form separate football teams for religious sects like Rangers for the Protestants and Celtic for the Catholics and then STAB a MAn sitting on his own door step for wearing Rangers Colors? You had a religious war going on in the UK last time the games were hosted in Scotland .

Fragile country BITE ME I am sure you would get to jollys off of that LOL. There is no Civil war in Nigeria there was a Civil war in the late 1960 called the biafra war.

I proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Abuja National Stadium is the Largest IAAF Class One in the Commonwealth per capacity in the Commonwealth for the source that counts the Architect.

you sources of info again are the pages of wikipedia which can be rigged and Bloggers who basically are a sounding board for their opinion whether Truthful or propaganda .

so what this turning off the messaging bit with you ? Can't take the Heat ? Gutless you are .

I have proven you wrong with your BS. At least with MO after a while he can admit that he did not know what he was talking about in regards to the new greenpoint stadium acknowledging that Capetown would indeed have to build a new stadium for a IAAF event .

Jim Jones

Man I will be glad when Scotland goes back to grade school because apparently that is what we have here.

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So in another other words unless you accept the practice of gay lifestyles and putting rodents where the sun doesn't shine you can't host the commonwealth games ? How many 'Christians' do you think there are in Malaysia or India who have either staged the games or are about to ? Considering Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nigeria have more population each then the UK or any of the White Commonwealth Nations and their populations are far from christian maybe you should think about the implications of that . At least their religions don't sub divide themselves or form separate football teams for religious sects like Rangers for the Protestants and Celtic for the Catholics and then STAB a MAn sitting on his own door step for wearing Rangers Colors? You had a religious war going on in the UK last time the games were hosted in Scotland .

Fragile country BITE ME I am sure you would get to jollys off of that LOL. There is no Civil war in Nigeria there was a Civil war in the late 1960 called the biafra war.

I proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Abuja National Stadium is the Largest IAAF Class One in the Commonwealth per capacity in the Commonwealth for the source that counts the Architect.

you sources of info again are the pages of wikipedia which can be rigged and Bloggers who basically are a sounding board for their opinion whether Truthful or propaganda .

so what this turning off the messaging bit with you ? Can't take the Heat ? Gutless you are .

I have proven you wrong with your BS. At least with MO after a while he can admit that he did not know what he was talking about in regards to the new greenpoint stadium acknowledging that Capetown would indeed have to build a new stadium for a IAAF event .

Jim Jones

Man I will be glad when Scotland goes back to grade school because apparently that is what we have here.

Abuja national stadium - 60,000 seats. FACT! lol

Again Jim, you don't seem to know that Northern Ireland is a different country to Scotland is not even on the same land mass as Scotland. lol!

Speaking of schools Jim - well Scotland does have the best education system in the world as evidenced by the fact that our universities are proportionately filling more top spaces than any nations on earth. I mean, Scotland has 5 universities in the top 100 institutuions on earth. How amazing is that? lol. Glad you acknowledge that Jim!

Jim, if you tell me what message you want to send me (no love letters mate) I may consider removing you from the block list. But you will have to prove that you can act like an adult! :lol:

P.S. When you go back to Abuja, hopefully when the civil war has Jim, will you be making 'snow angels' in the 60,000 (not largest) stadium in the commonwealth?)

Greetings from Scotland!

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