Administrator Challenges Sports Minister
Managing Director of Tenelle Sports Ventures, a sports promotions outfit, Sola Lawal, has challenged the Minister of Sports and Chairman National Sports Commission, NSC, Prof. Tahoreed Adedoja, to be an all-round minister and not a Minister of Soccer.
The graduate of Sports Marketing of the Nigerian Institute for Sports, NIS, said that for the Minister to succeed, he must adopt a holistic approach by giving all sports the same attention as football.
He said aside soccer, other sports have been relegated to the background, which affected their development, adding that if drastic measures are not taken the country would be at the worst for it.
Lawal, therefore, urged the Minister not to see himself as a Minister of Soccer, but a Minister of Sports.
“I’m appealing to the Minister of Sports, Prof. Adedoja not to toe the line of his predecessors. Most of the ministers that we’ve had in the past concentrated only on football, while other sports  suffered.
“He should see his appointment as a call to national service and not as a means of enriching himself. All sports should receive the same attention,†he said.
Lawal noted that Nigeria is blessed with abundant talents but previous ministers have failed to utilise them, hence the dwindling in the fortunes of other sports.
Lawal is of the opinion that as football stadia are being built in different parts of the countries, the Sports Minister should also use his influence to build facilities for other sports.
“Is soccer the only sport in Nigeria? The Minister of Sports should work out modalities on how sporting facilities can be made available for athletes too. Everywhere you go, you will see young boys and girls playing soccer, there are other sports that should be looked into for posterity sake,†he said.
—Adebobola Alawode
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