The appointment of a sports minister from outside sports arena by successive Nigeria’s presidents, speaks volumes to the age -ong truism that it is wisdom and intelligence that differentiate a person in any field of great expectations.
The former minister of sports may have had some issues with people around and within, while in office, especially with the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, and his press officers who would have been his jolly good fellows as a man of the “pen profession” like them, but strangely the center did not hold and gave room for some unpalatable and pale headlines.
Indeed, he should be credited for his ideas and vision that needed friendly publications, with his excelling points that required sustainability for references. I congratulate him for adding colour to his events but wider publication would have made his ideas more practical to the understanding of the youths and engender them into robust participation than being mere onlookers from events to events, hosted by other countries.
Incidentally, the present minister is coming from the angle of farming, especially now that some states wish to declare a state of emergency on agriculture, an area requiring high level of appraisals, analyses and leadership. As a successful leader with laudable records, sports management will benefit from his immense capacity and managerial skills in numerous areas, such that sports programmes will actually become more vigorous to make the athletes largely tuned up and more productive to the benefit of both the country and their families.
Successful sports management, no doubt, gingers athletes in their career progression and, importantly, when they are discovered early by coaches who know the ground rules and regulations of sports. Their early identification and processing thus enhance the seamless replacement for aging athletes and spikes their expectations for the desired clarion call to represent the country in championships.
Figuratively, a farmer, whose priority is the stomach and wellbeing of a growing athlete, would endeavour to have a good reserve of athletes, like in football. A good farmer who knows and grows particular crops that would guarantee good harvest will preserve his specimen and stridently protect his farm from encroachment and destruction by animals. Thus, there is ample reason for the minister to look deep into states that have abundant potential athletes for call up and grooming, devoid of partisanship, but have one Nigeria and its achievements in mind.
It would suffice that “smaller” sporting states should be encouraged by this administration to host events that will create avenues for the discovery of talents. It is also pertinent to note that presently, sports administration lacks key personnel such as counselors and psychologists whose expertise are greatly needed during events or even in the offices to guide parents on clearer understanding of sports and its potential for development like other professions.
It will be a welcome idea for the new helmsman of sporting activities, to involve selected professionals in the media who have pedigree like Gowon Akpodonor, Patrick Omoregbe, Nze Ocha Chukes and some analysts of newspaper review segment every morning on AIT.
Furthermore, it will be beneficial if the present sports writers at the national level in the FCT, who are widely travelled and have become embodiment of sports, are considered for suitable role in the Sports Adversary Board. These are persons to reckon on far-reaching solutions during, after and ahead of any challenging moment.
The barricade of sports writers from the sports environment by the past administration should be reversed early for appropriate sports mileage to be covered as deserved. Sports writers comprise men and women who by virtue of training and experience not only report sports but are the torch light of the minister, athletes, stakeholders and, above all, government. They are professionals whose pens are game changers of headlines more so as they are abreast of global trends in sports and are married to the Internet in constant search of opinions that will not malign the country.
For instance, their write-ups and presentations on Tobi Amusan ban from the AUI accusation charges, demolished the intended wish of the world athletics body from destroying her dream even when the western world would wish to display their hate and racism against blacks.
Nevertheless, the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria. Mr. Tonobok Okowa, intensified efforts to ensure that some credible press men participated to give wide coverage to world championship held in Budapest, Hungary. Even though the past minister of sports loves publicity, his press officers were not given the opportunity to be involved in media activities which is their statutory responsibility.
I conclude with the sage that a man with listening ears, who distills facts and avoids defamatory gossips, will not only maintain good relationship within his environment, but will also enjoy the confidence of all.
Nwokorie, press officer, Ministry of Sports writes via 08069456745.