Sports
We’ll Transform Sports Through PPP-Minister
The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, says the Federal Government will embrace Public Private Partnership(PPP) in transforming the sports sector.
He said this on Sunday after inspecting facilities at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan.
Tidesports gathered that Dare was conducted round the facilities at the stadium by the Zonal Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development Mr Femi Ajao.
Dare, who had visited some other stadia across the country, said he placed premium on some of them that were national monuments.
Among those listed on the premium list are Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna; National Stadium, Lagos; Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja and Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan.
The minister, who said that efforts of management and maintenance of the facilities in the past few years were not sufficient enough, promised that the facilities would engage his attention in terms of upgrade, maintenance and management.
“I am really impressed that we have such a structure built over 64 years ago. It is still standing, but it has suffered years of neglect and lack of maintenance.
“We have seen here that efforts have been made in the past few years, but we have seen that efforts of upgrading, maintenance and management have not been sufficient enough.
“I have seen the indoor sports hall, main bowl, swimming pool and training pitches.
“ I have seen that we need to inject some funds and bring this place back to work. We are going to work on our new public private partnership model,” he said.
Dare said that there were plans to bring activities back to the stadia, adding that the ministry’s first assignment was to ensure the right facilities were in place.
He listed adopt-a-pitch, adopt-a-sports centre and adopt-an-athlete as some of the ongoing campaigns of the ministry aimed at bringing the private sector to fix some of the facilities.
“When we complete the detailed programme, we intend to invite the private sector to adopt the pitches and fix them.
“ I am sure on an incremental basis, you will see the efforts of the ministry and the private sector.
“We can bring back the glory. You know sports is a big business globally. We are going to look at the new business model we have built around sports.
“We want to bring back Kaduna, Abuja, Lagos and Ibadan. Once we bring back these facilities, we can have such championships coming back to Ibadan,” he said.
The minister, who affirmed that there was paucity of funds, said there would be novel ideas and initiatives aimed at bringing funds back to sports from the public and private sectors.
Speaking on the welfare of sports men and women, he said that the ministry would initiate ‘Athletes Susteinance Fund’ and ‘Sports Trust Fund’ as being practised globally in sports.
“ The components of this are being worked out right now. We know that the welfare of sports men and women is very important and insurance is very critical,’’he said.
The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.
A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.
Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.
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