President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered a total and comprehensive re-organisation of the Nigerian sporting sector following the disastrous outing of the country’s contingent to the recently concluded Olympic Games in the United Kingdom.
Minister of Information, Labaran Maku who dropped the hint after Wednesday’s federal Executive Council meeting however declined to give details on who may lose his job in the planned re-organisation of the sports sector.
According to the Minister a national retreat which will involve state governments as well as the private sector to re-order priorities in the Nigerian sporting sector would be convened to address the challenges in the sector.
The minister said “President Goodluck Jonathan today(Wednesday) ordered for total and comprehensive re-organization of the sporting sector, following the disappointing performances of the Nigerian contingent to the London 2012 Olympics. The President accordingly directed for a national retreat which will involve state governments as well as the private sector to re-order priorities in the Nigerian sporting sector.
”He said what took place in London must be the beginning of a new momentum to place Nigerian sports at a level that will enable this country return to the glory it is known for in the areas of sports.
”President Jonathan believes for us to change the present scenario we need to specialize, we need to plan and we need to fund sports in a way that this country will continue to make impact in global competitions.
”He believes that the next Commonwealth Games and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil must enable Nigeria set specific targets and realize them in order to promote our sports development.
”He also called for a new direction in sports management as well as funding and planning. He believes that what this nation needs at the moment is to take a sober look at what has happened and indeed change the scenario by working hard on all that we need to do to return the sporting sector to his glory.
”Mr. President emphasised the need for early planning, better administration of sports as well as funding which he believes can no longer be left to the government alone but must involve the private sector to generate sufficient resources to return our sports to it’s glory.
”So in the next couple of weeks you are going to see action in this area as we prepare to work and ensure that Nigeria in subsequent continental and global events takes her proper place within the comity of sporting nations” he said.
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All we need in Nigeria is putting the square pegs in square holes and the round pegs in round holes. If you go down the villages and suburbs, you will find great talents, I mean naturally talented athletes and sports men and women. Why do we always think that the best of athletes reside in Lagos or Abuja or are the children of senators, governors or the so-called elite. Let the Ministry of Sports go for talent hunting that is what is done here in the Western world. They should start now to prepare for the next event. You don't go competing with the world with third class athletes. None of those athletes they went with was good, if they were, they should have won medals. Look beyond Africa and prepare to challenge the world. Wake up Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteFrom London, UK