After their exploits in football, Sports lovers waited anxiously for that elevation, that will see Shehu Dikko and Bukola Olopade step up to the next level of sports administration, as they saw in both sport technocrats, visionary leaders, with a knack for excellence and an eye for success.
That perhaps explains the euphoria that greeted their appointment as Chairman and Director General of the National Sports Commission. President Bola Tinubu must have done proper investigation to have found out that these men have painstakingly built a reputation for themselves in Sports marketing and administration as both individuals have always distinguished themselves as two of the best brains in the sector.
Shehu Dikko’s success story in football, especially during his tenure as chairman of the League Managenent company was outstanding, while Bukola Olopade on his part, transformed wheelchair basketball in Nigeria from obscurity to international limelight. His well documented achievements in the organisation and packaging of world-class Marathon events in Nigeria has attracted international recognition, commendation and endorsement. Added to these, is his drive for corporate sponsorship
for sports and his passion for success on and off the field.
In just over four months in office as chairman and DG of the National Sports Commission, discussions among athletes, officials and other key stakeholders in the sector, have centered around the fresh ideas that both men have brought on board. They have taken time to identify some of these brilliant initiatives in separate discussions with Canada based Adewale Ajayi who was in Kigali and Uyo to seek firsthand opinions of those who should know. After his ten days missionary journey, this is what he came up with.
1. The Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) Initiative is a clever addition
Ahead of the fast approaching National Sports festival, a competition that brings together the best of Nigeria Sportsmen and women from the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory Abuja, organizers of this year’s event, that is, the local organizing committee NOC, in conjuction with the main organizing committee MOC, which has as chairman, the Director General of the NSC, came up with the 38th state initiative. It is a proposal that will see the best junior athletes across the country, majority of whom are standout performers from the National Youth Games, compete against esterblished athletes, representing the thirty seven states of the federation, at the fast approaching National Sports festival.
According to the organizers, the whole idea behind this new initiative, is to give these young men and women a chance to prove a point. If any young athlete does so well to upset an elite athlete at the festival, he or she stands a good chance to make team Nigeria’s list for future international competitions like the Olympic and Commonwealth games.
2. The appointment of Chief Operating Officers COO, For All Sporting Federations
In a desperate bid to make all Sporting federation self sustaining, the National Sports Commission appointed Chief Operating Officers (COO) for all Sport federations. Their duties among others, is to embark on rigorous sponsorship drive that will make the federations self sustaining and semi autonomous. One of the cardinal reasons behind the setting up of the National Sports Commission, is developing a self sustaining Sports Economy that will stand the test of time. The Director General of the commission is the driving force behind this and he has mandated all the chief operating officers to key in to this new vision.
3. The Administrative Charge Levy On All NSC Contractors
This is one initiative that has already started yielding huge dividends. The whole idea behind this initiative is simple. The NSC has asked all contractors doing business with the commission to henceforth, pay an administrative Charge levy for every contracts they get from the commission. This levy will then be used as grants in supporting Nigeria athletes at international meets or competitions.
4. The Setting Up Of the Podium Elite Performance Board
That’s another landmark achievement that deserves commendation. Headed by famous Olympian, Yusuf Ali, this Boatd has been institutionalized and have been given a mandate to monitor the performance of all Sporting federations and their athletes, and make recommendations where necessary. Their duty among others, is to identify exceptional Nigeria athletes doing great things at international and world meets and recommend same to their various federation to be penciled down for future international competitions as the nation targets podium finish at the commonwealth and Olympic games
5. The NSC is intentional in their determination to see all sports succeed
NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko advised his Director General to travel over 18hours by flight from Nigeria to Malaysia to support the Nigeria Under 19 women’s team at the Under 19 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, where the girls finished as the fifth best team in the world and qualified for the cricket world cup which coincidentally, will be Nigeria’s first World Cup appearance.
Before going to Malaysia, Olopade was in Morocco to support Ademola Lookman as he emerged the best African footballer on the continent. The NSC also supported the Nigeria male Basketball team ‘D Tigers’ and the Nigeria Badminton team in their quest for international success during recent championships. The commission chieftains also led a high powered federal government delegation to Egypt where Nigeria’s Amaju Pinnick contested and lost the CAF Executve committee and FIFA executive committee seats.
6. Creating a good understanding and partnership with the NFF and the Super Eagles
In the buildup to the World Cup qualifiers with Rwanda in Kigali and Zimbabwe in Uyo, the National Sports Commission made it presence felt from planning to prosecution. The always proactive leadership of the commission made sure they got presidential approval for the appointment of a sound and qualified coach for the Super Eagles, in the person of former Mali National team coach, Eric Chelle.
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They also made sure that the salaries and allowances of the coach is not longer a burden of the federal government as that responsibility has been taken by a corporate entity.
Before and during the games in Kigali and Uyo respectively, the NSC made their presence felt at all times, motivating the coaches and players and ensuring that the NFF never had any form of financial problems especially as it concerns the team. All agreed bonuses for both matches were paid to players and officials before they departed Uyo to their various destinations.
Written by: Adewale Ajayi.
