Sports

SUNDAY DARE GETS MORE RECOGNITION AFTER SUCCESSFUL TENURE AS SPORTS MINISTER

Published

3 years ago

June 6, 2023

Immediate past Sports Minister Sunday Dare CON, has continued to enjoy the dividends of his successful stewardship as the Minister of Youth and Sports Development.

In a Private Reception put together by Stakeholders in the Sports Industry, Dare was praised for all the transformations he brought to the Sports Sector for the almost four years he spent in the Sports Ministry.

The Reception that was tagged Celebration of Excellence is the latest on the list of worthy recognitions Dare has enjoyed following what many have unarguably describe as a successful and accomplished tenure as Sports Minister.

Speaking at the event, Former Nigeria football International, Chief Segun Odegbami, MON, described Dare as a National Asset that deserved all the accolades he is getting.

The Media Mogul and Sports critic said this is the first time in all his years in Sports involvement that a Minister left office and he is being celebrated.

“By virtue of my position I have worked closely with many past Sports Ministers and I know how difficult it is to survive as a Sports Minister in Nigeria but Dare proved everyone wrong with his style of leadership that resulted into many achievements”, he said .

Odegbami further stated that he is particularly looking forward to the next assignment Dare will undertake because his wealth of Experience and Quality will be very valuable to the Present Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Speaking at the event , Sunday Dare described himself as lucky to serve as Sports Minister in the last administration and all his success story will not have been completed without the support of the stakeholders in the Sports family.

” We would not have achieved what we did without majority of the stakeholders, from the office of Mr President, the National Assembly, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, the Sports Ministry itself and the various Sporting Federations”.

Dare was able to improved drastically on the Country’s Sporting Facilities with policies like the Adopt the Pitch Initiative.

He has also left a stable template for Athletes Welfare like the Adopt the Athletes Initiative.

His Doggedness to ensure Nigeria Sports does not remain the same ensured he initiated the Nigeria Sports Industry Policy that has taken Nigeria Sports from just a mere recreation to serious business.

The Reception had in attendance Some of the big heavyweight Stakeholders in the Sports Sector like the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports , Ismaila Abubakar , the Chairman Senate Committe on Sports Senator Obinna Ogba, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation Dr Muhammed Sanusi, the Chairman of the Interim Management Committe of the Nigeria Premier League, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, The Special Assistant to Former President Muhammad Buhari on Sports , Daniel Amokachi.

Also in Attendance were top Media Practitioners like Ikedi Izikuzor and Barrister Dudu Orumeh along side stakeholders from other Sectors like the Nigeria Communication Commission and the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.

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Sports

SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism

Published

15 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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