Sports

CON Award: Sport, Youth Ministry applauds Sunday Dare

Published

3 years ago

June 1, 2023

Joel Ajayi
In recognition of the various policy initiatives he introduced in both sports and youth sectors as well as the work he carried out for the development of sports in Nigeria and the African region by extension, the Management and Staff of the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development wishes to felicitate and congratulate the former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare on his conferment as Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR on May 28, 2023.

Indeed, his four years of service to Nigeria as the Minister of Sports and Youth Development recorded tremendous achievements, especially in the sports industry, unequalled in recent times.

The Ministry unequivocally affirm that the conferment of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by the former administration is a testimony to Dare’s indelible mark of hard work and diligence which led to the transformation of both the Sports and Youth sectors, areas that were almost forgotten, over the years.

It also wants to state clearly here for record purposes, the various programmes, policies and initiatives his tenure as Minister put in place in the Ministry that impacted positively on the youth like DEEL (Digital Skills, Enterpreneurship, Employability and Leadership) through which Youth were trained on various skills like Cybersecurity, Web Development, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Digital Photography and Coding.

Others, include securing the approval of the N75bn Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), the Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme (P-YES), National Young Farmers Scheme (NYFS) as well as other supportive ventures aimed at empowering the youth of our country.

In the field of sports, the former Minister also introduced various initiatives leading to numerous podium performances by our athletes at global competitions.

Some of these include: the Adopt initiative, National Sports Industry Policy, the 10 Year Football Development Masterplan, the Talent Hunt Program, the return of the long and middle distance races, and cross country race in Nigeria after almost 40 years in the doldrums.

As a result of the enabling environment created by the past Administration, Dare was also able to embark on the rehabilitation of sporting facilities across the country and other efforts, thus brightening sports outlook in Nigeria
The Ministry wishes to state further that under Dare’s leadership, Nigeria posted her best ever Commonwealth Games performance in August 2022 and produced her first ever World Record holder and World champion (in athletics) in Tobi Amusan.

You would also recall that Nigeria had her best Olympic Games performance in 13 years with 2 Medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

It will be pertinent to mention here that in recognition of his stellar performances since assumption of office, the former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare bagged various awards including the Award of Excellence in Public Service, an award given to him by the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, the National Telegraph Most Innovative Minister Award, the Blueprint Sports Icon of the Year Award, Youth Award in the United States of America, African Illustrious Minister of the Year Award, the National Youth Council of Nigeria Leaders Role Model Award (NYCN) among many others.

The Ministry notes that Dare’s desire and passion for Sports development across the country will forever stand the test of time.Thus, the Management and Staff of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development once again felicitates with its former Minister on the Conferment of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by the former President, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR. It is, indeed, a well-deserved honour.

We are optimistic that the award will spur him into doing more for his fatherland anytime he is called upon to serve.

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Sports

SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism

Published

22 hours ago

October 26, 2026

The Gleamer

By Joel Ajayi

The President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Isaiah Kemje Benjamin, has urged sports journalists to eliminate gender stereotypes and bias in their reports to promote fairness, inclusion and greater visibility for women in sports.

Benjamin made the call on Monday in Abuja while delivering a presentation titled “Gender-Sensitive Journalism: Removing Gender Stereotypes and Bias in Sports Reporting” at the Annual Women in Sports Leadership Training/Seminar for Journalists, organised by the Women Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).

He said sports journalists play a critical role in shaping public opinion, influencing athletes’ visibility and determining which achievements receive recognition, sponsorship and investment.

According to him, the way the media reports women in sports can either reinforce existing barriers or help dismantle them.

Benjamin explained that gender-sensitive journalism requires fairness, accuracy, equality and inclusion, stressing that it does not mean giving female athletes favourable coverage or shielding them from legitimate criticism.

He identified common forms of bias in sports reporting, including giving men’s competitions greater prominence, focusing on female athletes’ appearance rather than performance, defining women by their marital or family status, and questioning their competence in leadership positions.

The SWAN president urged journalists to adopt respectful language, apply consistent professional standards and extend coverage beyond national teams to domestic leagues, grassroots competitions, female coaches, referees and sports administrators.

Using Nigeria’s sporting landscape as an example, he said the achievements of the Super Falcons deserved sustained analysis beyond match results, including discussions on investment, player development, professional leagues and grassroots structures.

He also noted that digital platforms offered opportunities to expand coverage of women’s sports but warned journalists against sensationalism, online harassment and sexist commentary.

Benjamin proposed seven measures, including gender-sensitive editorial guidelines, regular coverage audits, diversified sources, professional development, stronger grassroots reporting and measurable progress.

He called on SWAN to collaborate with the NOC, sports federations, leagues and clubs to improve access to information and strengthen women’s visibility in sports.

He urged journalists to ensure that athletes are judged by their performances and achievements rather than gender stereotypes.

“Gender-sensitive journalism must be fair, not favourable,” he said, emphasising that responsibility for change rests with reporters, editors, broadcasters, photographers and digital publishers.

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