The founder and President of the Showtime Flag Football League, Azeez Amida, has commended the National Sports Commission (NSC) for conducting what he described as one of the most transparent and forward-looking sports federation elections in Nigeria’s history.
Amida praised the NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, for their visionary leadership, which he said has “restored credibility and confidence” in Nigerian sports governance and is already attracting captains of industry and top professionals into the sports ecosystem.
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According to Amida, this milestone marks the true rebirth of Nigerian sports, creating the right foundation for building a genuine sports economy where athletes, coaches, and investors can thrive.
“We must now move beyond just playing sports to building a true sports industry,” Amida said. “It’s time to create professional leagues where Nigerian players can make a real living — leagues strong enough to attract talent and investment from around the world.”
He further emphasized that Nigeria already possesses the raw talent and passion to compete globally but needs structured systems and belief in its own capacity.
“We have the talent that can attract the best investors in global sports,” he continued. “At Showtime, we are building a league where players can earn a living, buy homes, own cars, and travel abroad for holidays — a professional environment that will even attract foreign players to come and play here in Nigeria.”
Amida called on stakeholders, sponsors, and policymakers to believe in the vision of a sustainable sports industry and to stop limiting Nigerian athletes to seeing sports merely as a hobby or temporary passion.
“It’s time to stop telling our players they can’t make a living from sports,” he declared. “We’ve given them a platform — now we must believe in it and nurture it professionally.”
He concluded by reaffirming Showtime’s commitment to complementing the NSC’s agenda by continuing to develop Flag Football as one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing and most inclusive sports — one that brings together men and women on the same field and is steadily capturing the imagination of young Nigerians nationwide.
“This is the era for sports innovation,” Amida said. “And we at Showtime are proud to be part of the movement shaping Nigeria’s future through sports.”
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