CELEBRATING THE PILLAR OF NIGERIA FOOTBALL

As we celebrate this icon of Nigeria and African football, we will take time to quickly highlight all his achievements and contributions to Nigeria and world football at a time when enemies of the game have conspired to put off his shining light

History will forever bear us witness that Senator Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah has invested his money, time, and energy into building one of the emerging football empires that will soon take the world by storm.

Recounting these achievements may just be the best way to celebrate this icon of African football who has painstakingly supported the game at all levels through his unquantifiable and unimaginable investment in football development in the biggest black nation in the world.

At age 16, this Nnewi born football enthusiast tried his luck with Nigeria Under 17 National team but missed the opportunity to showcase his God-given talents.

However, that did not deter him from striving for recognition and acceptance in a society where lazy men hardly make any headway

 In business, Senator Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah stands out as one of the biggest business tycoons to emerge out of Eastern Nigeria.

Anambra state is renowned for producing some of the most wealthy businessmen and women with outstanding achievements in their various endeavors but it is worthy of note that Senator Ubah is ranked among the top ten billionaires based on his steady rise in oil and gas, which in no time catapulted to the very top as one of the key stakeholders in the sector.

His arrival in football was greeted with so much excitement as the Nation rose to welcome a man who is never scared of putting his money where his mouth is.

Appointed Nigeria youth football ambassador by former NFF president Aminu Maigari in 2013, senator Ubah leveraged on this recognition to climb the stairs and today he has moved to the top echelon of Nigeria football as one of the most feared and most respected administrators around.

Anointed by former Anambra state FA chairman and former vice president of the NFF, Chief Mike Umeh to succeed him as chairman of the state FA, Senator Ubah learned the ropes quickly and in only a short while, he has become the most popular sportsman in Anambra state.

The multi-billion naira worth ultra-modern FC Ifeanyi Ubah international stadium was built almost at the same time that the pride of Anambra state, FC Ifeanyi Ubah was born.

 In five years, the gburugburu of Nigeria politics has turned his modest club into a major force in the Nigerian professional football league, following their exploits in the 2016 Federation cup where they defeated Nasarawa united in the final to book a spot in the 2017 CAF Confederation cup.

Though they lost to El Masry over two legs to bow out of the competition, they succeeded in leaving their footprints in the sands of time.

Appreciated for his immense contribution to football development in Africa, Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah who played a key role in the emergence of Ahmad Ahmad as CAF president was appointed as a member of the very powerful CAF AFCON Organising committee, a position he has kept for a second term.

Back home, senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah shocked everyone as he emerged senator of the federal republic of Nigeria from a virtually unknown party called the Young Progressive Party.

 To achieve this feat, he had to humble some of Nnewi’s political bigwigs.

Back to football, this beautiful piece cannot be complete without highlighting the seven key contributions of Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah to Nigeria football at all levels.

*1. Senator Ubah will go down in history as the only private individual to pay five months of Gernot Rohrs 50,000 dollars monthly Salary*

*2. History will remember senator Ubah as one Nigerian who gave out his private jet in support of Nigeria world and Nations cup qualifying campaigns*

*3. History will remember senator Ubah as the first individual to build an ultra-modern state of the art international stadium in Nnewi Eastern Nigeria*

*4. History will remember senator Ubah as the first Nigerian to organize a FIFA recognized and CAF endorsed ONE FAMILY, ONE FOOTBALLER INITIATIVE aimed at spreading the gospel of football to all homes in Eastern Nigeria and beyond*

*5. History will remember senator Ubah as the first Nigerian to sponsor testimonial games for retiring Nigerian internationals like Joseph Yobo*

*6. History will remember senator Ubah as the first Nigerian to employ a Brazilian coach to take charge of an NPFL team with about 4 Brazilian footballers signed on at the same time*.

*7. History will forever remember senator Ubah as the first Nigerian to offer a player in the NPFL, Godwin Obaje 2m naira monthly salary, making him the highest-paid footballer in the history of the NPFL*

As he celebrates his 49th birthday today, let’s put aside our personal differences and grudges to salute a true *ICON OF NIGERIA FOOTBALL*.