This week, I doff my hat to four men who have changed the narrative about sports administration in Nigeria. Not only have they ensured that things are now moving faster than ever (yet almost flawlessly) in the Nigerian sports sector, they have added youthful panache, zest and flair to their daily activities.
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Step out for recognition – Mallam Shehu Dikko, Honourable Bukola Olopade, Honourable Philip Shaibu and Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye. Aside from ‘the political title of honourable’ common among three of them, this quartet of sports administrators epitomises the values of youthfulness in the scheme of progressive recreational activities.
Starting from the top, Mallam Shehu Dikko has excelled and continues to excel as the chairman of Nigeria’s National Sports Commission (NSC). He has brought in so many innovations and transformations that have already affirmed him as the man most suitable for the job.
This is despite the fact that I personally actually initially thought he was a square peg in a round hole – considering that his previous duty post was as top shot in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). Amazingly, though he has proved me wrong for even thinking he was incongruous atop the NSC’s organogram.
I must confess, at the outset of his tenure as NSC chairman, I thought Dikko would not be able to handle the larger context of the intricate terrain of Nigerian sports better than he did when he reshaped the NPFL, which is of course a micro-segment in the overall sports fabric of our dear nation.
However, one thing Dikko has been able to do that many before him could not stomach is his open door policy. He has made accessibility his unique selling point to fellow administrators, sooets personalities and the media.
Some say he is playing to the gallery with ‘audio achievements,’ but I dare say many of his strides so far speak volumes about his leadership acumen, especially regarding the federal government’s RHINSE policy.
Not only is he accessible to the media, he also carries all other units of the sports sector along; getting productive ideas here and there. Such that all heads of the country’s sports federations trust him and look up to him – as was the case at the badminton federation’s election during the week.
While I hail the NSC’s supremo for ensuring our country’s sports terrain becomes a better spectacle to behold and hang on to, what would I say about the man who vibrates like an engine and rolls like fuel in the NSC’s new wave structure.
That personality is the one we call ‘DG,’ because he’s the NSC’s director-general, but many other people also call him ‘Ozogula,’ because he’s always on the move, energetic, untiring and innovative.
While Dikko is the head, Honourable Bukola Olopade is the hands and legs of the NSC, plus lots more, all rolled into one.
I cherish him for innovations at the last National Sports Festival, especially Invited Youth Athletes (IYA) and the National Para-Games, which both took place in his state of origin, Ogun.
During this outgoing week, while Dikko touched my heart with his comments at the elective congress of Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Olopade was also there in Abuja, only to be seen a few days later dolling out cash rewards to deserving students in Lagos and Abeokuta.
Talking about a man who never gets tired of moving around for the sake of sports takes me to someone who did not shy away from playing actively in the football league while he was a deputy governor.
Who else would do such an ‘unusually daring thing’ than Honourable Philip Shaibu, now the director-general of the National Institute for Sports (NIS).
When his appointment was announced, someone said a politician cannot handle an academic institution properly (the way an educator would).
However, the manner in which Shaibu recently got a fatter budget for the NIS and is currently pursuing a decentralised multi-campus structure for the institution both show that he surely is worth his onions.
What about his historic visit to former Super Eagles’ coach, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde at Modakeke, a small town that lies hidden somewhere in the interior of Osun State? Kudos to you, Honourable Shaibu.
Down the line, recalling how Shaibu played some matches in the Nigerian league reminds me of the NPFL’s current honcho, in the person of Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye, who more or less swapped posts with Olopade at the NSC.
The biggest thrill to shout about for him is how he has been able to ensure that Nigeria’s top flight league continues flowing seamlessly with a calendar that is now properly streamlined with the European schedule.
Gone are the days of abridged league, delayed climax to the season and boardroom points. Amazingly too, some of the matches are now live on TV.
By and large, you must surely agree that we’ve seen great feats from these men I make bold to tag ‘The Fantastic Four of Nigeria’s sports administration.’
So good seeing three of them mostly attired as ‘real sportsmen,’ while their boss stands out like a suave model when he wants to symbolise his ‘big position’ despite his young age.
Having stated all that, I need to dispel your thoughts that this script has been paid for. Indeed, while I cherish the very cordial relationships this quartet has with the sporting press and their adequate use of special media assistants, that does not make them perfect.
So, let’s see some areas of oversight, correction, alterations, additions, improvements and adjustments they need to take a look at –
1. Their refrain in recognition and praise of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the start of all their speeches has become predictable and monotonous.
2. The reward system for national team stars beyond the pages of newspapers still leaves much to be desired, and payment of entitlements has to be done faster.
3. The quality of pitches available for the football national teams and league clubs has to be looked into speedily.
4. Corporate sponsorship in various aspects of Nigerian sports and funding for activities in the sector needs a more effective approach.
5. More should be done for grassroots sports programmes and talent development in schools for all sports (not just football).
6. Nothing has been said about brokering real lasting peace in Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF), where the issue of tenure is causing lots of confusion.
Once all these limitations are checked and corrected, I would safely say Nigeria’s four ‘new wave sports administrators’ would be knocking on the door of perfection.
For now, though, let’s give them a well deserved 82% for a job well done so far, while reiterating that there’s always room for improvement.
