Sports

Minister of Youth and Sports Bags Democracy Heroes award

Published

4 years ago

June 13, 2021

Another Honour has come the way of the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr Sunday Dare as he has been recognized as the Most Outstanding Minister of the President Mohammadu Buhari – led administration.

The Minister was honoured for bringing innovation, changes and dynamism to the Ministry of Youth and Sports despite lean resources.

The award was confered on Dare on Thursday, June 10th at a colourful ceremony at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja as part of activities to mark Democracy Day celebrations.

The Democracy Heroes Award Africa which is the 9th edition also recognized other eminent Nigerians for promoting good governance and deepning democracy.

Those honoured alongside Dare include Minister of State, Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika who got the iconic Minister of the year Award, Engineer Umar Dikko, Mr. Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, Director General of National Information Technology Agency, person of the year.

Dare had previously won the award as a journalist for championing the enthronement of democracy during the Military era.

An elated Dare said he was humbled, encouraged and inspired to do more for the Development of sports and the Empowerment of youth in the country.

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for giving him the opportunity to contribute his quota to the development of the country and delivery of democratic dividends.

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Sports

“ This Award Gives Me Hope” Makanjuola Nureni Honoured for His Dedication to Nigerian Sports

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

The Gleamer

Abuja-based football administrator and philanthropist, Makanjuola Nureni, has been honoured with the Distinguished Service Award by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in recognition of his outstanding support to sports journalism and his immense contributions to sports development in Nigeria.

The prestigious award was presented on Friday in Abuja during SWAN’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration held in Abuja, marking 60 years of promoting sports journalism and excellence across the nation.

Expressing his gratitude after receiving the honour, Makanjuola Nureni described the award as a source of inspiration and renewed motivation to continue his lifelong commitment to youth and grassroots sports.

“This award gives me hope and motivation to do more. It’s a source of inspiration to me and my supporters, and I believe it will encourage us to invest more in youth sports development in Nigeria,” he said.

He added that the recognition serves as a morale booster after decades of hard work and silent impact in the sports community.

“I feel happy and fulfilled because we have been doing this for decades, and many times, our efforts went unnoticed. But I thank God that SWAN recognized people like us,” Nureni expressed.

Makanjuola Nureni is the founder and owner of Water FC Academy, a renowned football institution based in Abuja that focuses on discovering, nurturing, and empowering young Nigerian talents.

Through Water FC, he has developed and sponsored numerous players who have gone on to represent Nigeria’s national teams and play professionally in clubs across Africa, Europe, and beyond.

His consistency, passion, and investment in the development of young athletes have made him a key figure in Nigerian grassroots football.

In presenting the award, SWAN commended Nureni’s unwavering dedication to the growth of sports and his continuous support for sports journalism and youth empowerment.

The association highlighted his decades-long service to football development and described him as a true partner in the promotion of excellence within Nigerian sports.

The SWAN Diamond Jubilee Celebration brought together prominent figures from sports administration, the media, and government sectors to honour individuals and organizations whose contributions have advanced sports development and journalism in Nigeria.

Nureni’s recognition stands out as a testament to his vision, consistency, and commitment to creating opportunities for young athletes and strengthening the foundation of Nigerian football.

With this honour, Makanjuola Nureni further cements his legacy as one of the foremost private contributors to sports growth and youth development in Nigeria.

His story continues to inspire a new generation of sports administrators and philanthropists dedicated to transforming Nigerian sports from the grassroots up.

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