…I am not ready to steer the NCF ship now-Ilube
By Philips Robinson-Adefioye, UK
Former vice captain of Nigerian Cricket team, Roland Ilube has said the efforts of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) to improve the game of cricket in Nigeria is yielding positive results in every angle .
Ilube who gave this hint in an exclusive interview with www.sunrisetimes.com.ng in Sussex, United Kingdom said the board of the NCF ably led by Uyi Akpata has made huge strides administratively in the past eight years in cricket adding that for Nigeria to be recognised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to host an international event speaks volume.
In his words: “As far as I am demanding on the playing side, I absolutely do recognizes that on the administrative side we have made huge strides in the last eight years which placed us in a position to be handpicked by the ICC to host an important tournament like the ICC-Africa T20 qualifiers”.
Ilube who is currently the chairman of the London-Nigerian Cricket Club stressed that the positive developments in the last eight years has put an end to the ‘one step forward and ten steps backward’ syndrome hitherto experienced in the game.
According to the former captain of FGC cricket club , Waɍri, “I will be hesitant that such situation will not repeat itself but I do think that the steps we have taken in the past 8 years has given us good foundation to build-on.
” I think it will be important for who ever take on the mantle from administrative perspective should not waste the legacy and really build on it and take us forward.
“Again this boils down to individual, we’ve seen in the past where some individuals in key positions who did not make any impact and we’ve also seen now particularly in the form of the current President, Uyi Akpata who has made huge steps to take us forward and it is important that whoever come next would build on Akpata’s successes.
Asked if he is ready to steer the ship of the NCF with his wealth of administrative experience in the nearest future.
The ex- international answered; that it is a bigger prospect but talking of a near future, It is absolutely no.
Pointing out that to really drive Nigerian cricket forward one needs to be close to the game and to be in the country but at the moment he is not in Nigeria and he is not ready to be in Nigeria soon.
“Honestly no, in the main time is not a thing I can conceive of. I always said to really drive Nigeria cricket forward, you have to be close to the action, you have to be in the country and at the moment,I am not in the country.
“I have no expectation to be in the country any time soon and I don’t think it will be right of me to aspire to that as much as I will love to be able to contribute more effectively to the progress of Nigerian cricket”, Ilube emphasized.
