Misleading! Picture not Gen. Sani Abacha stadium in Ebonyi
By Confidence Chibueze
CLAIM:
A Facebook user posted an image, captioned to be the picture of Sani Abacha Olympic stadium located in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.
VERDICT: Misleading
CHECKS:
The Facebook post which was made on 6th September, 2023 has gained lots of engagements and shares, which prompted this check.
As at the time it was obtained by Made In Africa Sports (MIAS), the Facebook post by Rhoda Etuk on NPFL Reporters facebook group has gained over 1.7 thousand likes, and 18 shares, with 204 comments.
The message read ” This is not Europe, but this is Gen. Sani Abacha Olympic stadium, Ebonyi, Nigeria. The things we love to see”
While the claim of Sani Abacha stadium in Ebonyi state is correct, however the image shared by the poster is misleading and inaccurate as the Sani Abacha Olympic stadium is still under construction.
The same image appeared on a website in 2019 as a prototype of the stadium.
Infact, the image shared by the poster is an architectural design of what the stadium will look like when completed.
In December 2022, the former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Dave Umahi, confirmed the change of the stadium name to Sani Abacha Olympic stadium, a former Nigeria’s military head of state.
The proposed 30,000 capacity stadium is to be the first standard stadium in Ebonyi state and one of the best in Nigeria.
However, as at August 2023, when the news of the Olympic stadium was revisited, the stadium was still under construction. Videos and photos made available from the media showed workers and heavy machines currently on site.
In verifying the post, MIAS found out that similar post about the Sani Abacha stadium have been shared severally by internet users on the social media, and most of them included the caption “this is what the stadium will look like when completed” except for this post which has gained thousands of engagements.
Again, the reporter observed that the image not an actual representation of the Sani Abacha stadium which has not been completed as at the time of writing this report.
CONCLUSION
Picture shared is an architectural design and not the real stadium as the stadium is yet to be completed as at the time of this check, therefore the claim is misleading.
