Sports

Our Focus Now Is Building ‘Team Nigeria’ – Sports Minister

Published

5 years ago

May 3, 2021

…As Nigeria Athletes Depart US Thursday

Joel Ajayi

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare, has revealed that the Ministry is now focusing more on building a formidable Team Nigeria that would make the country proud in the forthcoming 2020 Olympic in Japan, than listening to the noise of the market.

The Minister made this known on Monday when he visited the athletes Moshood National Stadium Abuja preparing to travel on Thursday to Texas, United States of America to participate in relay qualifiers event in USA.

He expressed that, though Nigeria athletes missed the World Relay in Poland due to visa issue but the Ministry has put that behind and moved on to ensure Nigeria still qualifies for the world fiesta event.

It was gathered that, about 20 athletes are leaving Nigeria on Thursday while the second batch of athletes will also join them later for the event.

The Minister assured that, what Nigeria missed in Poland will be gained in US.

According to him, I am just here to support you, and to encourage you, and inform you that you are the team Nigeria.

“We have about 87 days to the Olympic proper, we are ready to have you, go out there in US. Our team over there will also join you to create a blend, those that will compete with you are like you, the track is not different, I am made bold to say here that, the entire Nigerians are behind you.

“I want to urge the athletes not to be distracted with administrative noises, your duty is to run and give Nigeria the best , leave administration and all the noise behind , don’t listen to the noise in the market if not, you will not buy anything, so be focus on the goal ahead of you.

“ We are going to the US because we have other means that will place us on the part of qualification, if you follow the outcome of what happened in Poland; for some of the relays, we have 4, 5, some two slots left, so the chances are blighting.

“Nigeria will be at the Olympic God’s wiling, we have put everything in place to ensure athletes are comfortable, they have been in camps for past two weeks with their coaches, I have no doubt Nigeria will be at the Olympic.” He Assured.

Speaking on the sideline of World Relay in Poland, Minister said, the Ministry spared no effort to get it but issue of visa scuttled it.

“We did everything possible to get to Poland but their government said Nigeria need two full weeks to process visa, then there was nothing we could do but we got America visa within 3-4 days.

“About three or four countries even withdrew from the Poland event, they were waiting for Nigeria. There are chances and we are going to fight for every available slot to be in Japan.”

Talking about athletes’ welfare, Minister said the Ministry had put in place a detailed program for the Athletes where every trips, meets, Timing, accommodation is being monitored.

Chief Dare therefore, urged them to strictly adhere to all protocols of Covid-19.

Minister showered encomium on some athletes, saying the future is bright for Nigeria to have podium performances at the Olympics. He commended the performance of Tobi Amusan who got adopted few weeks ago and who now has the second World best time, Grace Nwokocha and Adegoke Enoch who got adopted by the Minister under the Adopt an Athlete Initiative.

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Sports

Tinubu, Fashola, Governors, UNESCO, Sports Leaders to Headline National Grassroots Sports Summit

Published

19 hours ago

October 29, 2026

The Gleamer

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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