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SPORTS MINISTER’S BOLD PERSPECTIVES ON SPORTS
FELICIA OBY NWOKORIE
The Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Owan Enoh, who completes one year in office this August, has given a glimpse of his thoughts for better sports outings in future. This is germane, considering the pains expressed by Nigerians who had hoped and yearned for medals at the just concluded Olympics.
Nigerians were quick to recall the previous epic achievements of Nigeria in international outings such as athletics, boxing, football, wrestling, weightlifting etc, climaxed with two gold medals in Atlanta 96. Sports has always proved a panacea to stress situations and has brought enormous joy to Nigerians who relish our youths standing on the podium of Honour, our flag fluttering in the wind and having our National Anthem rendered.
Admitting that Nigeria should have done better, he gave bold indication of going the whole hog to find the causes of the poor performance of the athletes and promised that he would take a critical look at the configuration of the professional and operational systems that produce the sportsmen and women for Nigeria.
In an outstanding act of courage and responsibility, the Hon Minister admitted and apologized that the performances of our athletes were below expectation. He pleaded with sports loving Nigerians to give him time to restructure sports and to dispassionately X-ray the immediate and long time actions that affected the performances of the athletes.
The Hon Minister though not being a “sports professional” as some people say, he fully understands that sporting activities are purely technical. He knows too that for any administrator to be credited as expected, he needs time to really understand the most challenging areas that require urgent concentration, as well as have due support from stakeholders to enable him succeed. He has put his heart and soul in this and he is evidently succeeding.
Happily the Hon Minister is an astute, result-oriented administrator, and has pronounced his commitment to a reinvigorated sports sector. In that regard, one of the areas the Minister and the management of the Sports Sector should draw advantage from is the cesspool of welcome ideas of the Sports Writers Association (SWAN) which should be distilled.
Stakeholders and sports veterans should embrace the eagerness of the Hon Minister, and make contributions and suggestions that will help to change the negative assertions following the outing in Paris 2024 to a positive assertion that will lead to better performance which can supersede that of the glorious event of 1996.
Only a coalescing of honest postulations by formidable team players and stakeholders at a time like this can affect positive changes in the development of sports as well as correct the shortcomings or irregularities that hinder progress, before the commencement of next championship. The Hon Minister as usual, is open to all well meaning contributions.
On the budget of N12 billion attributed to the Olympics, the reactions are basically reactionary and have not actually been holistic, not reckoning with all aspects of the expenditure cost lines. Under the strict watch of the Minister, Nigeria had a glorious outing that showcased 88 athletes who indeed represented the country. Desirous as medals are, people should not lose sight of the financial implications of this money.
Even though no medal was brought to the country, not a single athlete has complained of not being paid his/her allowances as deserved, which is way ahead of what used to happen in the past. Commendably, none of the athletes got stranded or became unable to depart safely to their various destinations, as used to obtain in the past.
The write ups and hard knocks from most Nigerians, especially the media, is commendable showing that they have their eyes daily on the update of sporting activities and that they mean well for Nigeria. Meanwhile the situation has exposed to the Hon. Minister, critical areas that require him and the SWAN to forge a closer relationship.
As the Minister approaches the critical bend of one year in office, and his Permanent Secretary barely five months, what they need now is activate seasoned sectoral inputs as nations of the world start earnestly to prepare their teams for the next Olympics. Four years is only a number and is already knocking at the doors. Please Let us not allow misdirection and possibly wrong advice from any quarters destabilize us.
As we look forward to preparing for the forthcoming event slated to hold in Los Angeles, all eyes should now be focused on the Federations and all the stakeholders to ensure that they do not dissipate their energies in distractive squabbles that could harm Nigeria’s overall sporting interest and fortunes.
Those criticizing the Hon Minister should take a look back, and give him plaudits for frugality and keen financial management. His tenure has not recorded what critics used to call sports jamborees. But Sen. Enoh since assumption of duty has occupied himself with paying off debts that were part of the causes of instability in the Federations.
Certainly under this present sports administration, Nigeria will overcome whatever militating circumstances that affected sports management in recent times. A trip around the Abiola National Stadium is an eye witness to ongoing projects that are part of the mandate of the Minister to get all the staff to be domiciled in the stadium for easy management of both the staff and infrastructure therein.
Finally, as the Honorable Minister braces to take tough ameliorative actions, let the voices of Nigerians be loudly raised on the Athletic Federation of Nigeria ( AFN), the Federation Presidents, NOC and all who are given mandates, to embrace synergy for better coordination for the nation’s sporting victory rather than exhibiting the present greater interest in qualification more than of the podium finish.
Please Nigerians, let us be more focused on the Paralympic athletes as their games become imminent and wish them good luck. Let us congratulate the Basketball Female team whose coach was honoured as the best Female Coach in Olympic Games. The Paralympic Games have always brought us Honours in the past and hopefully would do so again.
FELICIA OBY NWOKORIE
PRESS OFFICER, SPORTS DEVELOPMENT.
Featured
NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow
By Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, APC
As the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I have spent most of my tenure fighting for a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their ward or local government, family income, or circumstance, can chase dreams without the chains of financial despair.
Today, that fight feels like victory, thanks to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Launched as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a revolution. And under the steady, visionary hand of Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND has transformed from a bold promise into a roaring engine of opportunity, disbursing over ₦116 billion to more than 396,000 students and shattering barriers for over a million applicants.
Let’s be clear: NELFUND was always destined to be a game-changer. Signed into law by President Tinubu on April 3, 2024, it repealed the outdated 2023 Student Loan Act, replacing it with a modern, inclusive framework that covers tuition, upkeep allowances, and even vocational training—ensuring no Nigerian youth is left on the sidelines of progress.
But what elevates it from groundbreaking to generational? Leadership. Enter Akintunde Sawyerr, the diplomat-turned-executioner whose career reads like a blueprint for results-driven governance. From co-founding the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) in 2012—backed by icons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina—to steering global logistics at DHL across 21 countries, Sawyerr brings a rare alchemy: strategic foresight fused with unyielding accountability.
As NELFUND’s pioneer MD, he’s turned a fledgling fund into a finely tuned machine, processing over 1 million applications since May 2024 and disbursing ₦116 billion—₦61.33 billion in institutional fees and ₦46.35 billion in upkeep—to students in 231 tertiary institutions nationwide. That’s not bureaucracy; that’s brilliance.
Sawyerr’s touch is everywhere in NELFUND’s ascent. Since the portal’s launch, he’s overseen a digital ecosystem that’s as transparent as it is efficient—seamless verification, BVN-linked tracking, and real-time dashboards that have quashed misinformation and built trust. In just 18 months, the fund has empowered 396,252 students with interest-free loans, many first-generation learners who might otherwise have dropped out.
Sensitization drives in places like Ekiti and Ogun have spiked applications — 12,000 in a single day in one instance, while expansions to vocational centers in Enugu pilot the next wave of skills-based funding. And amid challenges like data mismatches and fee hikes, Sawyerr’s team has iterated relentlessly: aligning disbursements with academic calendars, resuming backlogged upkeep payments for over 3,600 students, and even probing institutional compliance to safeguard every kobo. This isn’t management; it’s mastery—a man who doesn’t just lead but launches futures.
Yet, none of this happens in a vacuum. President Tinubu’s alliance with trailblazers like Sawyerr is the secret sauce securing Nigeria’s tomorrow. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda isn’t rhetoric; it’s resources—₦100 billion seed capital channeled into a system that prioritizes equity over elitism. Together, they’ve forged a partnership where vision meets velocity: Tinubu’s bold repeal of barriers meets Sawyerr’s boots-on-the-ground execution, turning abstract policy into tangible triumphs. It’s a synergy that’s non-discriminatory by design—Christians, Muslims, every tribe and tongue united in access—fostering national cohesion through classrooms, not courtrooms.
As Sawyerr himself notes, this is “visionary leadership” in action, where the President’s political will ignites reforms that ripple across generations.
Why does this matter to us, Nigeria’s youth? Because NELFUND isn’t handing out handouts—it’s handing out horizons. In a country where 53% of us grapple with unemployment, these loans aren’t just funds; they’re fuel for innovation, entrepreneurship, and endurance.
Picture it: A first-generation polytechnic student in Maiduguri, once sidelined by fees, now graduates debt-free (repayments start two years post-NYSC, employer-deducted for ease) and launches a tech startup. Or a vocational trainee in Enugu, equipped with skills funding, revolutionizing local agriculture. This is quality education that endures—not fleeting certificates, but lifelong launchpads. Sawyerr’s focus on human-centered design ensures loans cover not just books, but bread—upkeep stipends of ₦20,000 monthly keeping hunger at bay so minds can soar. Under his watch, NELFUND has debunked doubts, refuted fraud claims, and delivered results that scream sustainability: Over ₦99.5 billion to 510,000 students by September, with 228 institutions on board.
As youth leaders, we see NELFUND for what it is: A covenant with our future. President Tinubu and MD Sawyerr aren’t just allies; they’re architects of an educated, empowered Nigeria—one where poverty’s grip loosens with every approved application, and innovation blooms from every funded desk. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in the 70 million of us who will lead tomorrow.
We’ve crossed one million applications not because of luck, but leadership—a duo that’s turning “access denied” into “future unlocked.”
To President Tinubu: Thank you for daring to dream big and backing it with action.
To Akintunde Sawyerr: You’re the executor we needed, proving that one steady hand can steady a nation.
And to every Nigerian youth: Apply. Graduate. Conquer.
Because with NELFUND, your generation isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, enduring, and eternal.
The Renewed Hope isn’t a slogan; it’s our story, now written in scholarships and success. Let’s keep turning the page.
Dayo Israel is the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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