As Nigeria’s sports dwindling fortunes continue, a former director general of National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Alhassan Yakmut, has stated that only practical-driven approach backed by efficient government legislation will move Nigerian sports forward.
Mallam Yakmut who spoke during an interaction with members of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) FCT chapter wondered why sports administration and operations have remained without requisite laws unlike other countries of the world.
He advocated a total overhaul of Nigeria’s architecture, with the adoption of England model which had worked well over the years.
The sports administrator who had made valuable contributions within the sector, particularly said a huge take-off grant and enabling laws as well as planned implementation masterplan can kick-start an unstoppable sports revolution in Nigeria.
He then emphasised the need for the incoming President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to ensure full implementation of the National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) approved by the Muhammadu Buhari-led outgoing Federal Executive Council for the administration of sports in the country.
The former Nigerian professional Volleyball player, specifically urged the next minister that will be at the helm of sports to design and construct a contemporary NSIP implementation strategies for the sports industry in the country to start flourishing.
He commended the outgoing administration for initiating the sports industry policy which outlines an effective means of improving the funding of sports, delineating the obligations of the different tiers of government, the participation of the private sector and other stakeholders in sports.
“The National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) came at the point when an administration was coming to an end and the new president had been elected. So, the new administration that will be coming in needs to fill in the gap and ensure full implementation of the policy.
“The policy is well drafted and documented. The new regime will now have to also design and construct very contemporary implementation strategies for the sports industry policy to flourish,” he said.
Yakmut also tasked the incoming administration on the implementation of 10-year football masterplan approved by the Buhari administration, saying the masterplan was designed to bring Nigeria out of the doldrums of running football for peanuts.
He said, “The football master plan was supposed to bring us out of the doldrums of running football for peanuts rather than for economic development.
“The economy of the UK is being turned around by football and football is being quoted in the stock exchange. But here in Nigeria, football is a community project like social service and that is what we need to change.”
Yakmut had retired as an active civil servant is currently a staunch member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
