Sports
Kelvin Erhunwmunse: Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria seals partnership with Japanese Government
Japanese Government has agreed to give scholarships to active Nigeria Gymnasts according to the President of Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria, Prince Kelvin Erhunwmunse on Wednesday.
Prince Erhunwmunse revealed that the presence of the President of International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), Morinari Watanabe in Nigeria and the intervention of the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports, Chief Sunday Dare made the scholarship possible.
He assured Nigerians of more qualifications for the subsequent African, Commonwealth and Olympic Games adding that gymnasts will have access to equipment.
He said, “The coming of the President FIG, Morinari Watanabe to Nigeria has been very impactful because we were together with the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare in Japan where commitments were made.
“Nigeria gymnasts will gain scholarships to Japan to study and train; this has been sealed with the Japanese Ambassador. The training will among other things not only enhance the capacity building of the coaches/official, but also help improve the commitment of the gymnasts towards the game because of the conducive learning environment.”
“Nigerians should expect more qualifications of gymnasts for the African, Commonwealth and Olympic Games. More equipment will be coming into Nigeria because few weeks ago, the President of FIG, Morinari Watanabe was in Nigeria for the second time and a lot of promises were made; Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria is moving to the next level,” he added.
The Chairman of Edo State Gymnastics Association gave a breakdown on some of his achievements during his first term as President of Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria.
He said, “If you recall four years ago when I made promises that Nigeria will attend the African Games and win Gold medal as well as make her debut at the Olympic Games, it was as if I was making empty promises. Today, all I promised few years ago are all reality; the past board set a standard and are great achievements for the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria.
“We were able to train gymnastics coaches during the last dispensation and by the Grace of God, greater things are going to happen in Gymnastics.”
Sports
Tinubu, Fashola, Governors, UNESCO, Sports Leaders to Headline National Grassroots Sports Summit
Joel Ajayi
The stage is being set for a landmark gathering at the Presidential Villa as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, and leading figures from government, sports administration and international development feature in the proposed opening-day programme of the National Grassroots Sports Development Summit 2026.
In a statement signed by Thursday by the Chairperson Media Sub-com National Grassroot Sports Summit Dr. (Mrs.) Kehinde Ajayi stated that, the two-day Summit, scheduled for November 18–19, 2026, at the Banquet Hall, State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja, is being organized by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Hon. Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye.
With the theme “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development,” the gathering seeks to produce practical solutions to Nigeria’s longstanding challenges in talent discovery, infrastructure, funding, coaching and athlete development.
The opening day, Wednesday, November 18, promises high-level engagement, with President Tinubu listed as Special Guest of Honour, while Fashola is scheduled to deliver a keynote address.
Also featuring in the Day One programme is Dr. Tayo Aduloju, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), whose organization has been engaged as technical partner to help translate discussions into a workable development roadmap.
Other personalities and institutions on the opening-day lineup include the Chairman and Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko and Hon. Bukola Olopade; the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum; the President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON); and the Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Nigeria.
Also listed are Barrister Enitan Oshodi, President of the African Table Tennis Federation; the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee; and Dr. Musa Nakorji of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Research Department.
The involvement of these personalities reflects the Summit’s emphasis on connecting sports development with economic planning, education, grassroots governance, international cooperation and private-sector investment.
Adeboye described the gathering as an opportunity to move Nigerian sports beyond isolated achievements towards a coordinated national development system.
“The real question is not whether Nigeria has sporting talent.
We know we have talent in abundance. The question is how we build a system that discovers, nurtures and supports that talent consistently, from our communities and schools to the international stage,” he said.
He stressed that the participation of state governments, local councils, development institutions and sports administrators would be critical to producing lasting outcomes.
The Summit will continue on Thursday, November 19, with further stakeholder engagements aimed at developing actionable recommendations for sustainable grassroots sports development with preparations intensifying, organizers are confident that the gathering will provide a defining platform for strengthening the foundation of Nigerian sports and expanding opportunities for young people nationwide.
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