Sports

Dare Receives Best Performing Minister Award

Published

3 years ago

May 4, 2023

The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare has been awarded the Best Performing Minister Award.

The Minister, Sunday Dare, received the award at the Nigeria Sports Governor Merit Award and Nigeria Philanthropist Merit Award held at the Shehu Yar’ Adua Centre, Abuja on Wednesday.

Represented at the event, by his Special Assistant on Policy, Mr. Bamiduro Olumide, the Minister thanked the organisers of the Awards for the recognition given him.

According to him, “this award and the other awards I have received are some of the evidences of the commitment of the Buhari administration to the growth of the Youth and Sports sector.

“I am grateful for the opportunity given me to serve and make impact in the lives of our youth.”

Since his assumption of office in August 2019, Dare has introduced numerous programmes, initiatives and policies that have positively impacted the youth and sports sector in the country and led to successes in international competitions.

Other recipients of awards at the event include the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki and his wife, Betsy Obaseki, the Deputy Governor of Edo State Philip Shuaibu, the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee(NOC), Engineer Habu Gumel, the Director General of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), General Buba Marwa(retd), former Director General of the Nigeria Television Authority(NTA), Alhaji Yakubu Ibn Mohammed, President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod, Sports philanthropist, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali among others.

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Sports

SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism

Published

7 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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