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Dalung Thanks Buhari, Media As Tenure Ends

Published

6 years ago

May 29, 2019

DALUNG THANKS PRESIDENT BUHARI, MEDIA AS TENURE ENDS

Barrister Solomon Dalung has paid glowing tributes to President Muhammadu Buhari for giving him the opportunity to serve as the Minister of Youth and Sports for the past three and half years.

The Minister eulogized the President at a brief Handover ceremony held at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in Abuja on Tuesday.

While officially handing over the office to the Permanent Secretary at the expiration of his tenure and as directed by the President Muhammadu Buhari, Barrister Dalung also thanked the sporting press for their support, criticism and advice while he served as Minister in the Youth and Sports Ministry.

“I want to sincerely thank God for giving me this very rare opportunity to serve Nigeria. When I was posted to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, I knew where I was coming to, including sports and its national interest but I was determined to make a difference to correct an impression about leadership in the Ministry of sports.

“I want to thank those I worked with. Sincerely, whatever is referred to today as achievement in Sports is a collective contribution of everyone seated here. We have worked tirelessly to earn these achievements that are contained in these documents.

“For the performance, it is left for your judgement. It is you who will say whether we have tried or not but I believe we have done our best. It is very very difficult to work in this ministry where you are judged by the way you dress but I also thank God that I am in history today, the longest serving Minister of Youth and Sports minister.

“I also want to thank our partners, the sporting press. My sincere appreciation to the media for their criticism which gingered me to work harder. Today, I am leaving this office full of joy. I’m so elated for seeing my tenure to the end . I thank the Ministry and I wish to remind you that the responsibility saddled upon you is quite demanding. Nigerians demand so much from you but unfortunately, it is one of the ministries that is budgetarily underfunded.”

The minister regretted the poor budgetary allocations for sports and called on the National Assembly to improve on the allocation for sports .

“Sports is one of the capital intensive programs that any government pursuing it must sacrifice for it. I went cap in hand to the private sector to revive the National Youth Games. Most of the performing athletes we have now are products of the National Youth Games of 2016.

“If we had based our performance on the budgetary allocations to the Ministry, we wouldn’t have won almost a thousand, five hundred medals in three and half years. I must credit President Muhammadu Buhari for this great feat due to the support we enjoyed from him through intervention funds. We must appreciate the contribution of sports to national development.”

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary Mr Olusade Adesola eulogized the minister for his achievements in the last three and half years.

“The Ministry of Youth and Sports has been fortunate to have Barrister Solomon Selcap Dalung deployed here. Since his assumption of office in this ministry, situations changed. He came, he saw and he conquered. Data available in this report testifies to that.

“When we summarize the medals won during the tenure of Barrister Solomon Dalung, in 2015, the entire Sports Federations won a total of 390 medals. In 2016 we won 176 while 227 medals were won in 2017 and in 2018 we won 700 medals.

“The youth sector was not left out. Many young people were trained in a number of skills acquisition programs. These are just few of the strides and accomplishments of the Minister.”

The Minister later handed over a 160-paged document to the Permanent Secretary. The handover report in three volumes contained first, a report on the Ministry, its Parastatals, the affiliate agencies namely; NADC, LOC, PCN. Volume 2 comprises Departmental reports while Volume 3 has the reports from Parastatals.

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Nigeria’s Historic Bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games: A Call for National and Global Support

Published

5 days ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria is poised to make history as it seeks to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a monumental opportunity that promises to transform the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and global standing.

More than a sporting spectacle, the Games would serve as a catalyst for development across multiple sectors, leaving behind a legacy of national pride and sustainable growth.

The benefits of hosting the Games extend far beyond the sports arena. Nigeria stands to gain both empirical and non-empirical advantages, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that will touch every corner of society. Infrastructural development will take center stage, with new facilities such as indoor sports halls, conference centers, and improved road networks reshaping urban landscapes while strengthening the nation’s capacity to host future international events.

Economic growth is another significant dividend. Over 10,000 jobs are expected to be created, spanning construction, facility management, event planning, and tourism services.

The hospitality industry will undergo major improvements as hotels and resorts are upgraded to meet international standards, while local restaurants, lounges, and tourist attractions will see a surge in patronage from international visitors. Small and medium enterprises, particularly in the transport, finance, and food service sectors, will become some of the greatest beneficiaries, as the Games generate new demand and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The Commonwealth Games will also accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry.

Investments in training facilities, coaching, and talent development will inspire a new generation of athletes, ensuring long-term benefits that extend beyond 2030, a major focus of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
At the same time, the process of preparing for the Games will create opportunities for Nigerians to learn new crafts, acquire technical skills, and engage in global-standard event management, thereby strengthening human capacity and innovation across industries.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Director General, have been widely recognized for their tireless and visionary leadership in repositioning Nigeria’s sporting sector.

Their commitment to facilitating infrastructural development and strengthening grassroots sports development has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s bold bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Under their leadership, the NSC is fostering strategic partnerships and driving innovation in sports administration, they have demonstrated the nation’s readiness to stage an event of such global magnitude.

Beyond the tangible gains, the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games carries profound symbolic value. It would be a moment of unity and pride, a chance for Nigeria to showcase its cultural richness, resilience, and excellence to the world.
As a centenary edition, the Games would stand as a historic milestone not just for the Commonwealth but for Nigeria itself, cementing its place on the global stage as a capable, ambitious, and forward-looking nation.

The gains from hosting the Commonwealth Games can never be undermined or overemphasized. This is Nigeria’s time to step forward and show the world our resilience, and excellence. We call on every Nigerian, across sectors and communities, to support this noble aspiration.

Nigeria’s pursuit of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a vision for transformation, a blueprint for national development, and a legacy project that will inspire generations to come.

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