Opinion

DESERVED HONOUR BE GIVEN TO THE MINISTER OF SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

Published

1 year ago

August 13, 2024

Fely Mammah Nwokorie

Is the sack of the Honourable Minister of Sports Development of the Federal Republic of Nigeria the best option now that the Olympics Games is still going with high hopes of our athelets determined to have our new National athem sang in France for proper representation of our country. The Hon. Minister Sen. John Owan has distinguished himself from other Sports Minister’s in a short time of his assumption of duty in the sector.

Is Favor Ofilli the worst misfortune that has been or faced in the ministry amidst other challenges that are gradually been addressed by the Minister? Is Favor Ofilli the only hope of the country in the on going Olympic Games. Should the mistake assumed to have been cursed by the NOC a reason to project the image of our proud country or presidency negatively in a disdain manner that is detrimental to the out side world. Are the games over or has the country lost confidence in other atheletes that also, have equal opportunities to represent the country in France.

The. Honourable Minister Senator John Owan Enoh, has remained the best significant personality in the sports sector in both presentation, sincerity of purpose, representation and administration; which the ministry has in a long while, recieved from the Federal Government without prejudice. Unlike the past Minister’s that would travel two weeks before the events and over stay their welcome after the events just to ensure thier retirement of unnecessary funds spending is accounted, for their selfish protection. Both the Honorable Minister and Permanent Secretary ensured that all logistics needed by the athelets, where readily available and their training tours funded before departing same time stipulated of the games. They associated themselves with the athletes to sort out their challenges which however, exposed the omission of Ofilli’s name from the 100m participants and they immedately queried the expensive ignorance of the NOC, AFN, and all responsible.

Sen. Enoh in less than two years in Sports Development has been able to turn sadness to joy in the lives of both the staff, stakeholders, able body and differently able athletes. There has not been a trace of much greed or self centerdness in him to attract the call of, Gara-Gombe’s prayer for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to recall the personality he single handedly chose to effect changes in the sector where youths have hope for a better tomorrow as well as opportunity to challenge thier peers in the area or Success with regards to the ongoing world event. Gara-Gombe’s request should be considered both as the highest insult on the President of Nigeria and also, a challenge to the Presidents wisdom, to chose an accepted personality by the people to lead them.

A man with integrity auth to know that this is a very challenging period for the President of Nigeria and in his love for the country offer solidarity of peaceful solutions and sustainability and not enviously ask for the position that he does fit into. Gara-Gombe should as a matter of urgency be banned from his intererence in Press Correspondence dissemination of rightful information to the general public on sporting activities more especially on the on going events. His prayer for the removal of our distinguished Minister is both distraction to the President and athletes.

Sen Enoh’s record mean while, speaks volum of his change mission and vision in the ministry. For over 30 years of hopelessness in the country’s African Cup of Nation ( AFCON), Sen. John Enoh’s glorified grace, brought renewal and retuned hopefullness to sports fans. African Games held in Ghana this year placed the country on the top most medals table despite 54 African Countries meant to participate in the event.

Can any one courageously say that our athletes did not participate in any of their qualifying tournament in preparation for the on going tournament? The most expected from the minister was to ensure money was available for the events and timely. The country’s athelets participated in the opening ceremony with their speakable regalians and have their proper placement in the games village camp in France.
Should the Honorable minister take responsibility of what sports professionals, Technical Directors & NOC where expected to ensure before the games? Although sports fans feel the pain of Favour Ofilli but has any person looked spritually to forsee her convenant with the gods on this event or is she the only noted person chosen to represent the country in the on going event?

Olympic is a World event and the ministry ensured that Nigeria’s Flag fly among others above all, very notable. I agree with late Nelson Mandela that” Sports has the power to change the world” I also, agree with African American Olympic Gold Medalist Ron Freeman that” Nigerians are some of the smartest humans on the planet”. But who has called for a reward to the Honourable Minister since his short term in office with his quick understanding of the sector’s politics, technicalities and jambores of events. Is less than 2 years in the sector enough for him to be a professional or enough time to fix things right as expected. Sen. Enoh has remarkably, withdrawn all sports cases in court, recounciled stakeholders differences, paid outstanding allowances, funded most federations tournaments, querried monies not properly accounted, maintained trainings in all the departments and above all, have regular Town Hall meetings with his staff to enable him address their challenges where need be.

Suffix it to say that it is very uncredited to use the case of Favor Ofilli to launch a long reserved attack credible Minister that deserves loud ovation from Nigerians. Although the country has not gotten any Gold but likes of Tobi Amusu and the Para -lympians are been looked up to for dignifying medals. Our amiable Hon. Minister notified Nigerians when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu released money for both the Olympic and Paralympics Events.
“For whom the gods want to kill, they first make mad”. And “For whom God wants to bless, He Blesses”.

Fely Mammah Nwokorie
Press Officer,
Ministry of Sports Dev.

Share on Facebook

Opinion

The Greater Abuja Land Heist: The Yesufu Family, Colleen Mero Yesufu, AGIS, and the Hidden Hands of a Billion-Naira Empire

Published

2 days ago

October 29, 2025

The Gleamer

By Dominion Duke

A civil society organisation under the banner of the National Advocacy for Justice and Truth (NAFJAT) has raised a clarion call, accusing estate agency owner Colleen Mero Yesufu of brazenly violating the 1978 Land Use Act through a campaign of alleged land grabbing.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, NAFJAT’s National Coordinator, Barr. Uthman Zango, described the leaked documents that supposedly expose Yesufu’s sprawling land acquisitions as a “stain on justice.” He expressed astonishment at how Yesufu could reportedly manipulate the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) to secure plots under multiple first names—an action that, if true, would strike at the heart of Nigeria’s land laws.

*“In Katampe District,” Zango explained, *“File No. MISC/89XX/AGIS/2020 lists Mero Y. as an allottee — ‘Application Approved, Ministerial Consent Granted.’
Weeks later, in Kabusu, a record shows C. Yesufu under ‘New Regularization – Revalidated.’ Same surname, different first names, the same month of approval. Across Jahi, Apo, Orozo, and Guzape, the same pattern repeats — overlapping allocations, identical handwriting, synchronized endorsements. Each document fits into the next like pieces of a puzzle only insiders could assemble.”

Zango lamented what he believes to be an unholy alliance between Yesufu and government officials, claiming that hardworking Nigerians have been defamed while the “true land grabber” evaded scrutiny. He underscored the need for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged “shady deals” that facilitated the land acquisitions and urged Nigerians to see through what he called a “blackmailing machine driven by envy, jealousy, and baseless hatred.”

Calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to scrutinise the leaked documents, Zango warned that land in the Federal Capital Territory—already scarce and meant to be tightly regulated—must not be commodified by a privileged few. AGIS records allegedly show the Yesufu family obtaining several prime plots within months, while countless applicants wait.

“This kind of abnormality is only possible with complicity from the inside,” Zango asserted. “Someone is feeding them timing, file codes, and clearance windows. That’s not luck — that’s access.”

He pointed to matching “Accepted,” “Scanned,” and “Temporary Revalidation” stamps as evidence of systemic fast-tracking, implying that the Yesufu family were not merely beneficiaries but active participants in a wider conspiracy. He expressed frustration over what he sees as public complacency in the face of such alleged wrongdoing.

When rumours of multiple plots began to circulate, Zango noted, the Yesufu family allegedly sought to deflect attention by accusing others. Documents show that Mrs. Rebecca Godwin-Isaac’s lands were lawfully acquired on the secondary market, yet she was tarnished, while the Yesufu name appeared on initial AGIS approvals. This inversion of guilt, Zango argued, was a calculated diversion.

He accused AGIS of systemic manipulation and highlighted the recurring term “Temporary Revalidation” across the Yesufu files, insisting that “until those files are opened, AGIS will remain a crime scene disguised as a database.” According to Zango, the Yesufu family’s alleged land empire was built not with bulldozers but with stamps, connections, and a bureaucracy reluctant to resist.

Share on Facebook