But now, the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola has altered all that and Ihaza is no longer miserly with words. He now talks and talks about Governor Fashola and his Adopt -a -Talent programme. He also doesn’t hold back words in praising the governor.

Ihaza will tell anyone who cares to listen that the Adopt -A -Talent programme is the greatest thing to have happened not just to judo but to Nigerian sports in recent history. He told judoblitzng.com exclusively in his Rowe Park office in Yaba.

 “The Adopt A Talent programme holds the key to the future of Nigerian sports because the heart of this project are the grassroots and young athletes. Without the fear of being contradicted, the project is the greatest thing to have happened to our sports”.

 The coach who superintended Nigerian judo for almost two decades said the programme would in not too distant future place Lagos State at the helm of Nigerian sports. “With the Adopt- A -Talent programme, Lagos in the next few years will dominate Nigerian sports because what is happening under the scheme is genuine sports development”.

 Sports ,Ihaza said “requires long term strategic planning to get results and Lagos State is on course. He had a word for other states most of which he accused of paying lip service to sports development.

 “If I have my way, I would ensure that the Adopt A Talent programme is adopted by all states of the federation. There is no other way of taking sports in Nigeria to the highest level than this programme.

 “What most states are doing at the moment is mere lip service. They should emulate Fashola who has demonstrated through the Adopt -A -Talent project that he is a visionary leader.

 The coach said of his experience working on the project.

 “I have enjoyed every minute of my time since I became part of project last year. It has been very interesting working on youngsters who are raw talents but with huge potential to become world beaters in judo. I started off with 60 boys and girls drawn from different parts of the state and today twenty five are still part of the project.

 The others have dropped out”.

 Coach Ihaza who is also a lecturer with the Nigeria Institute of Sports, NIS in Lagos said the Adopt -A -Talent project was the beginning of a long process to churn out champions in various sporting disciplines. “The talents discovered would be exposed to more training and regular competitions both locally and abroad.

 “At that point, we can confidently face any challenge even on the world stage”. The future of Nigerian sports is what excites Ihaza the most. “I am without mincing words excited about the future of Nigerian sports. Governor Fashola has blazed a trail and developed a template that should take sports to a new level. Other relevant institutions should emulate him and in the next five years, Nigeria will be contending with the super powers even in the Olympics. ”