Sports
Proprietor Wants Govt To Establish Sports Trust Fund
A sports enthusiast and proprietor, Little Tigers Football Academy, Amaka Agbakoba-Onyejianya, has urged federal and state governments to set up a Sport Trust Fund to encourage investment and boost the sector.
Agbakoba-Onyejianya gave the advice in an interview with newsmen last Sunday in Lagos while reviewing the summer football camp for children, organised by the academy at the Campos Square, Lagos Island.
She said that government could set up a trust fund like Agriculture Funds, Small Scale Enterprises Funds and the rest for potential investors in sports.
“Nigeria now needs Sport Trust Fund just like what we have in developed nations to cater for the funding of various sports investments. Government needs to look in this direction.
“There are many potential investors willing to invest in sports but they are often hampered by inadequate funds to facilitate their various efforts.
“Sports investment may be expensive, but it is quite rewarding, especially when it comes to providing facilities and equipment that are not produced in Nigeria.
“Facilities such as mini stadiums are not enough in Nigeria and so are gymnasiums for the athletes. What we need is a special sports fund where investors can borrow from,’’ she said.
Agbakoba-Onyejianya said that the special funds for the development of youths would not only help the investors, but also help to keep young ones out of crimes.
“There are some other trust funds such as Mortgage Banks, Agricultural Funds and Infrastructure Banks; government can also set up Sports Trust Funds so as to engage our youths effectively.
“If we take a look at what can engage the youths actively now, without doubt, sports will come to mind, so, if youths have much passion for sports, why not develop it?
“If the larger part of youths won’t want to go farming but rather go into sports, that opens opportunity for all in sports; likewise we need sports funds to develop the grassroots.
“The various clubs can draw from this funds to care for their teams and I believe it will be rewarding to all, government inclusive because it will be the greatest beneficiary,’’ she said.
Agbakoba-Onyejianya said that the method of repayment of the loans collected could not be a problem because the loans secured would be for the human capacity development which might not go bankrupt.
“The funds will be well used for its purpose because it is for human capacity development and we need a holistic approach to this, not surface scratching.
“Repayment of the loan will be very easy with my experience as an investor in sports. I started my academy with just five kids but it has grown within the space of five years.
“There are many areas in sports that need investment which some investors may not be able to afford, so, setting up this trust fund will help mitigate those areas.
“Sports academies are springing up in Nigeria now in response to the demands in the world and many of these academies need help to survive and to be viable,’’ she said.
Agbakoba-Onyejianya said that many developed countries have tilted toward grassroots sports development as a means of getting their young ones out of trouble, an example is Jamaica.
“Many countries are now using sports as a means of getting their youths involved and getting them out of crimes. Nigeria can learn from the example of Jamaica.
“The way to pull youths out of ghetto is to involve them in sports. Almost all young ones enjoy one sport or the other, so we need to tap into it.
Hon Dike who spoke with sports journalists shortly after the flag off the 2024 edition of Chairman’s Football Unity Tournament at Botem Tai in Tai LGA, said the tournament is an annual event to promote peace and unity in Tai as well identify budding talents in the area for global competition.
The opening ceremony of the tournament was more like a carnival was witnessed by huge crowd including prominent indigenes of Ogoni Kingdom, sports lovers and people from all works of life.
The LGA boss revealed that special sports committee will be setup in the area to work out modalities to strengthen sports development in Tai.
He advised the participants in the tournament from various wards in the LGA to play the game by the rules and conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner and use the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Hon Dike further disclosed that his administration will also give priority attention to skills development among the youth to enhance their human capacity and promote enterprise development in the area.
Earlier in his address the Chairman of Tai LGA Football Council, Elder Wisdom Gorgor said the annual football competition has been a unifying factor in Tai LGA that need to be sustained to forge more unity and development in the area.
He urged the participants to see the competition as an opportunity to embrace football as a full career and earn sustainable livelihood.
Elder Gorgor who commended the Chairman of Tai LGA, Hon Dike for his visionary leadership and tremendous development achievements recorded in the LGA under his administration, appealled to the Chairman to build a Mini Sports Stadium in the area to promote sporting activities.
The training was held at the Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Basketball Court in Kano last Saturday.
According to the Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, the event was part of the league’s commitment to growing broader basketball ecosystem in Nigeria and making the game more accessible across the country.
“Our first Jr. NBA clinic in Kano speaks to our commitment to growing the game in Nigeria and creating more opportunities for boys and girls to learn and play the game,” Abudu said.
“Nigeria has a rich basketball history and abundance of talent, which is evident every time you watch an NBA game. We look forward to continuing to engage with basketball stakeholders, business leaders and members of the community to further the game’s reach and impact on young people around the country,” she added.
The 2024 basketball initiative clinics of NBA Nigeria also included the league’s inaugural Jr. NBA elite camp for 150 boys and age-16 girls held at the American International School in Lagos in July.
Others include the NBA’s building of 1,000 courts in Africa over the next decade, Nigeria’s Festival Coins and Salubata named the top two winning businesses at NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator’s inaugural Demo Day in New York City held last September, and the third edition of “NBA Meets Art,” a curated installation celebrating basketball through the lens of Nigerian art and culture as part of West Africa’s premier art fair Art X Lagos, held in November.
Central to this vision is the federation’s investment in capacity building, evident in the just-concluded one-week Level 1 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Coaching Course, which marked a significant milestone for Nigerian badminton.
Held in Abuja, the course brought together 13 young coaches from across Nigeria. The last time such a course was held in the country was in 2017, making this a historic and transformative step.
The training was facilitated by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) in partnership with the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) and conducted by Dr. Ahmed Radah, the BCA Development Manager.
Radah, impressed by the talent he witnessed, praised Nigeria’s potential.
“Nigeria is blessed with immense talent and a strong badminton tradition. I believe this country has what it takes to dominate on the global stage,” he remarked.