Sports
EDO 2020 NSF Has Uncovered Diverse Talents-Minister
Joel Ajayi
After 11 days of serious competition amongst different athletes from different part of the country at the ongoing 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) in Benin, Edo state capital, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development Chief Sunday Dare has expressed pleasure over the skills, talents on display by participants.
Sports minister who spared no effort to ensure the event hold after series of challenges, while speaking after watching some of the life games said he was thrilled with successes recorded so far.
Chief Dare then charged victorious athletes to remain disciplined and focused while he asked those who didn’t make it to the podium to remain resilient.
According to him “We have witnessed a lot of display of talents and skills in the last 11 days. Wrestling is part of our great hope when it comes to the Olympics, both the male and female categories, I see a lot of young people who have a future in wrestling.
“So far, I am excited about the excitement I have seen in all the centers I have been to. My message is that they need to remain disciplined and focused and also display the spirit of sportsmanship. I have seen those that have won, have seen those that have lost and I see that spirit of comradeship, the future is great for most of those young athletes.
“This thing wouldn’t have been possible without the ministry of youth and sports. It wouldn’t have been possible without the Edo state government. if not for the Covid-19 pandemic, it was just five days, everything was set then the pandemic came in, and within one year we all have to recover. So we are happy this partnership continues for the sake of the youth and for the sake of sport development in our country.
“Even from here, we can see track and field records are being broken, we’ve seen new people that qualified. This is what we expected from this sports festival. That’s why we call it Nigerian Olympics. I am very hopeful that if we get all of these athletes into camp, get them in shape, get them focused we support them. These groups of people, sports men and women will do Nigerian great at the Olympics.
“I have already programmed myself here as the sports Minister for the federal republic of Nigeria Oyo is as important as Kano, Benue as Edo because my terrain is the entire country. I just want to see that it’s fair and the best person wins. The refereeing is excellent and we see that all of the athletes are equally executing their best skills here, which are what is important.”
Sports
SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism
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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