Sports

Athletes’s Welfare, My Priority As a Minister- Dare

Published

4 years ago

July 8, 2022

Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare has reiterated that welfare of athletes has remained a priority for him since assuming office in 2019.

In a chat with pressmen during an interactive session in Abuja, Dare said, “Before I assumed office, I knew that welfare of athletes will always be key to their performances.

“This was why I immediately introduced the Athletes’ Welfare Scheme, where past athletes who brought glory to Nigeria in different sports were considered for reward. This did not exclude those who have transited to the great beyond like Late Rashidi Yekini, Samuel Okwaraji, Ali Jeje and others.

“We needed to recognise what they did for Nigeria and also further restate our commitment to the line in our National Anthem that says, ‘the labour of of our heroes past, shall never be in vain’.

“Again we celebrated and awarded 60 Sports Icons as a way of telling the heroes of tomorrow that their successes will also be remembered in the future and entrenched in the annals of our history.

“Furthermore, two of our athletes won medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and almost instantaneously, they were rewarded for their outstanding performances.

Nigeria’s best performance at the Olympics in 13 years was at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games courtesy of the medals won by Ese Brume and Blessing Oborodudu,” Dare explained.

Speaking on the increase in financial reward for paralympic athletes, the Sports Minister explained that the Ministry implemented a whooping 300% increase of their bonuses.

“Those who won Gold medals received $15,000, silver medal winners got $7,500 while bronze medalists got $5000 each. This was just another way of motivating and appreciating our athletes,” the Minister said.

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Sports

NSC DG, Hon. Bukola Olopade Wins Sports Administrator of the Year at New Telegraph Awards

Published

7 hours ago

February 13, 2026

The Gleamer

The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has been honoured with the prestigious Sports Administrator of the Year award at the New Telegraph Awards, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to sports development in Nigeria.

The award, which took place on Friday, celebrated Olopade’s transformative leadership, administrative excellence and longstanding commitment to building sustainable sports structures across the country.

A seasoned sports administrator, Olopade has served twice as Commissioner for Sports in Ogun State, where he spearheaded progressive reforms and talent development initiatives. His leadership footprint also spans multiple strategic roles within Nigeria’s sports ecosystem.

He is a former President of the Nigeria Wheelchair Basketball Federation, where he championed inclusivity and the advancement of para-sports.

He also served as Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria National League (NNL), strengthening operational efficiency and league management structures.

In the private sector, Hon. Olopade was Chief Executive Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, playing a key role in delivering internationally recognised sporting events and elevating Nigeria’s profile in global road racing.

Under his current role at the National Sports Commission, in conjunction with the chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, Nigerian sports has witnessed renewed hope, improved coordination and enhanced stakeholder confidence.

The New Telegraph Award further affirms his impact-driven leadership and dedication to repositioning Nigerian sports on both continental and global stages.

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