{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Mathematical 7","provider_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7","title":"Africa\u2019s opportunity in 2030 threatened! - Mathematical 7","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"6RMETIWF0P\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/africas-opportunity-in-2030-threatened\/\">Africa\u2019s opportunity in 2030 threatened!<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/africas-opportunity-in-2030-threatened\/embed\/#?secret=6RMETIWF0P\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Africa\u2019s opportunity in 2030 threatened!&#8221; &#8212; Mathematical 7\" data-secret=\"6RMETIWF0P\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/FiFa.jpg","thumbnail_width":225,"thumbnail_height":165,"description":"West Africa should wake up to the reality of what is going as the world prepares to host the biggest sports event in history in 2030, the Centennial World Cup. In that year, divinely scripted for West Africa, it will be Africa\u2019s turn again to host the World Cup, in accordance with an unwritten but generally accepted arrangement by FIFA. Two weeks ago, I thought I had come to the end of my tether in making Nigerians and some West African countries see and understand why they should combine forces to host the most lucrative, most prestigious and most coveted sports event in the world. The last time Africa hosted the event was in 2010. In that year, South Africa were the beneficiaries of Africa\u2019s first attempt to host it. It was considered one of the most enjoyable of the World Cups since the championship began in 1930. It was a colourful and richly cultural event that wowed the world. 8 years before that in 2003, I had floated the idea of Africa\u2019s first World Cup to be jointly hosted by 5 neighbouring countries in the West African sub-region, led by Nigeria, getting the automatic ticket to participate if it won the bid for the 2010 edition. Many of my countrymen were not impressed with the idea, pointing at FIFA\u2019s immediate negative reaction following the relative lack of success of the first joint hosting done by Korea and Japan in 2002. They also considered, justifiably, the dilapidated state of infrastructure and facilities in Nigeria, plus several other factors that stood in the way of such a dream in an African country where its people had no confidence in themselves and in their ability to add any value to their world through the World Cup. They saw it as a potentially wasteful venture, another White Elephant that would be used by corrupt officials in government to syphon the resources of the country again, after the experience of COJA 2003. My idea was shot down on the tarmac of consideration by a section of the Nigerian media, a public that had been mentally pauperized not to believe in any lofty dreams, and a government perpetually at war with itself (Obasanjo and Atiku were then at each other\u2019s throats)."}