By Ben Efe
Former Nigerian international and renowned sports administrator, Patrick Ekeji is not sharing in the euphoria that has greeted the scrapping of the Sports Ministry by President Bola Tinubu, in his recent cabinet shake up.
The move by President Tinubu, which reinstituted the National Sports Commission, was hailed by Nigerian sports stakeholders as the right step in the right direction in Nigeria’s quest to be in the top ten list of world sporting nations. Nigeria through the years has struggled to live up to its through potentials despite its rich base of talented athletes across all disciplines.
The call for the return of the NSC grew louder in August after Nigeria failed to win a single medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics in France. President Tinubu, perhaps it seems responded to the clamour.
But Dr. Ekeji who retired from the Nigerian civil service as a director-general of the NSC in 2013 says the new policy by the government may have put the country’s sports development in a reverse gear.
“Shooting down the Ministry of Sports on take- off is the unkindest blow on the sector,” Dr. Ekeji submitted.
“It is obvious that all of those who got orgasmic with this policy reversal do not know anything about workings in govt.
“The earlier creation of a MOS was the best thing that could ever have happenned to the administration of sports in our country.
“It could be likened to the creation of NFF by late Anthony Ikhazoboh a former sports minister.
“Imagine for one moment, where our Football and its administration would be today if that action was not taken.”
He stated that stakeholders might be joyous about the new development, but unknowing to them it is a policy flip flop.
“A Ministry is far far bigger administratively than a Commission. So what is the administrative “reach” of a “Commission?” You find out but take this to the market: this is an unkind cut to sports development in Nigeria.
“It is equivalent to taking two steps backward at the take-off shot in a short race event.”
He added it was now up to Mr. Shehu Dikko who was appointed NSC chairman to drive the new government policy on sports to a fruit bearing enterprise.
“While I wish the young man a successful duty-tour, he should set an achievable Agenda for which his tenure shall be measured.”
