Sports

Sports Minister Sets up Task Force on Commonwealth Youth Summit, African Region

Published

4 years ago

March 28, 2023

As part of efforts to ensure adequate preparation and successful hosting of the Commonwealth Youth and Students Summit, African Region 2023, the Honourable Minister ofSports and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare has inaugurated a Task Force ahead of the event.
The Honourable Minister who inaugurated the Task Force today in his office in Abuja said that the Summit is aimed at organizing a platform which will primarily target the youth as the main actors in the development agenda of the African Continent.
He stated that Nigeria’s acceptance to host the Summit was sequel to the request by the Commonwealth Youth Programme and Commonwealth Students Association (a coalition of Student organizations within the Commonwealth) to create a forum for insightful engagement, where youth and students can learn from global leaders in Multinational Public and Private Organisations, among others.
The Summit with the theme; ‘Co-Creating Our Common Future: Leadership in the Digital Age in Africa’, Dare explained, “cannot be more appropriate than now, as we live in a digital world. It will help to position the young people from across Africa to promote their impact in the regional youth event discourse and dialogues. It will also create a forum for insightful engagement, where youth and students can learn from global leaders in Multinationals, Public and Private Organisations, Development Institutions, and Civil Society Organisations” He observed that the present and future success of the Commonwealth, as well as upholding its values, lies with the unwavering commitments and contributions of the students. This, he said, “is large because the young people constitute more than half of Commonwealth’s population, which is estimated at 2.5 billion people”.
The Minister therefore charged the Task force to bring their wealth of experience to bear in ensuring a hitch-free and successful Summit, stressing further that *”as we are all aware, the time is very short, you cannot afford to fail to deliver*⁰
Earlier in his Opening Remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar stated that Nigeria is glad to host the Summit as it provides a window of opportunities for the Youth to explore their talents.
He commended the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration for accepting to host the Youth and Students Summit, Africa Region in Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary therefore called on youth in the region to take advantage of the Summit to develop themselves so as to be employable, enterpreneurial with a view to contributing to the socio-economic development of not only Nigeria but also the African Region.
Responding on behalf of the Task Force, the Coordinator, Commonwealth Youth and Students Summit for African Region, Mr. Marwan Umar Gwamba thanked the Honourable Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, the Top Management Staff of the Ministry and President Muhammadu Buhari in particular, for the privilege given them to serve in this capacity, assuring that they will work assiduously to ensure the success of the event.
The conference, which is scheduled to hold in Abuja from 8th-12th May 2023, is expected to host delegates from 21 African Countries, including the host country, Nigeria.

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Sports

SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism

Published

17 hours ago

October 26, 2026

The Gleamer

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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