According to the viral photos trending online have shown that the Warri Stadium in Delta State is in a dilapidated state.
The roof is torn; the seats, playing surfaces and athletics tracks are damaged beyond recognition. The stench of excreta and urine is overpowering, having become dens for the destitute.
In Nigeria, sport is a national passion and it is the dream of most youths to exploit as a stepping-stone to success. The rot speaks volumes of the horrible maintenance culture in the country.
But the decay did not start today. Long before the coronavirus pandemic broke out in December, the stadium had been sorely neglected, lacking electricity and dotted with rundown facilities.
The stadium has deteriorated due to the negligence by this current delta administration in the state which came into power in may 2015.
The Warri City Stadium was built in 2001 alongside six mini stadiums across the state.
The facility hosted the 2002 and 2006 Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) won by the Super Falcons of Nigeria against the Black Queens of Ghana.
The Stadium also hosted the first African Athletics Youth Championship in 2013 and was picked as one of the 2007 FIFA U17 World Cup venues before it was removed due to militants in the Niger Delta region.