Captain of Nigeria’s senior national football team, Super Eagles, Ahmed Musa has lend his voice on how President Muhammadu Buhari led APC government is handling the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.

Musa who will be the latest celebrities to expressed opinion along other stakeholders who have knocked the Federal Government and President Buhari over the prolonged shutdown of academic activities in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

Onwardnews24.com can confirm that today (Tueaday) makes it 147 days the strike was declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities with no meaning steps taking by government to end it.

Ahmed Musa who ply his trade with the Turkish side, Fatih Karagümrük forward has lambasted those managing the affairs of the country for being selfish and lack concern for a common man.

He wrote on Social Media (Instagram) on Tuesday saying: “To all our political office holders whose children school abroad.”

“How do you feel visiting your children abroad, taking pictures in their schools and posting online while ASUU is on strike?

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf6HDcajzAf/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

“Like seriously, how it okay to you? You are running a system that you don’t believe in.”

“Show me one Oyibo leader whose child is schooling in Nigeria. E no dey touch una?

President Buhari has recently expressed concern  over the strike and asked for a lasting solution to put an end to it.

President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sunday Dare will depart Nigeria tonight for Portugal to sign bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on sports .

The MoU will be signed with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa appending their support.

This MoU is coming on the heels of recent agreements signed with Spain which borders on Sports, Criminal Matters, Extradition and Transfer of Sentenced persons.

However, this MoU with Portugal is slightly different because it bothers only on creating mutualism in sports; which will see exchange of technical-know-how, sporting equipment support for athletics and football development.

This is seventh bilateral Agreement facilitated by Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare since assuming office in 2019.

The Sports Ministry under Dare signed an MoU with South Africa on Youth Dialogue and development, an event that was also attended by Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari and the Executive President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa.

Also Nigeria Ministry of Sports, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Turkey on youth and sports development in the presence of President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.

Recently, Hon. Sunday Dare was in Spain, alongside President Muhammadu Buhari where the country also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Spain in the Spanish Capital city of Madrid and the lastest of a long list of mutually beneficial relationships is the visit to Portugal, which would open another chapter of bi-lateral relationship between Nigeria and Portugal in areas of youth and sports development.

Following the intervention by concerned stakeholders, former Nigerian International basketballers, well meaning Nigerians and a letter of appeal by Musa Kida on behalf of the board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation(NBBF), the decision of the Federal Government to withdraw from international basketball for two years has been rescinded.

Kida’s letter of appeal dated June 17, 2022 addressed to the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare, among other things apologised to Mr President and the Minister over the embarrassment the issues around the game and the conduct of some of its actors have brought on the nation, appealing to him to use his good offices to approach President Buhari for the reversal of the self imposed ban.

The appeal letter also gave key undertakings to immediately set in motion the process of the NBBF Statures review, and the reconciliation of all contending and aggrieved parties both home and abroad as well as commiting to work in tandem with the Ministry.

Following from the above, and in the overriding spirit of national interest, love for the Nigerian youth and the development of the sport, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the return of Nigeria to international basketball immediately.

In giving this approval, it is noteworthy that the laws of Nigeria must be respected and not subjugated to any other law and all those leading government organisations and sports federations must know that they hold such positions in trust for Nigeria and under the supervision of the Minister of Youth and Sports.

The Federal Government of Nigeria on Monday flagged off road improvement and erosion control projects in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Office of Ecological Projects, Dr Habiba Lawal, who was represented by the Director of Media and Publicity, Dr Joel Oruche said the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare played a prominent role in attracting Government’s intervention to Ogbomoso.

Dr Lawal also enjoined the people of Ogbomoso to cooperate with the contractor and engineers handling the projects for efficient and a timely service delivery.

The roads to be worked on are;
Adebayose Idowu-Dare Street, off Ado Alaamo; Olusegun Obasanjo Way; 1004 Theater Road; R.Bello Road and Muneer Ibrahim Crescent. All in Ogbomoso.

Over 200 youths and adults most of them from Ogbomosoland will be directly employed by the contractors involved in the projects and a lot more would benefit indirectly through the provision of ancillary and other support services.

In his remarks, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the projects that he had proposed and facilitated to Oyo State over three years ago.

Dare said facilitating the projects is the privilege of a lifetime and a dream come true.

His words: “I am thankful to God for this and to President Muhammadu Buhari. Contributing to the social well being of my people, leaving a legacy that transcends my time as a Minister and extends to generations yet unborn is priceless.”

The Minister promised to ensure that the youth of Ogbomosoland are not left out in the schemes of developmental programmes and are also fully integrated in all the initiatives of the Federal Government.

The Soun of Ogbomoso, who was represented by High Chief Otolorin Sobaloju, praised the Minister for being a worthy son and a proud representative of the people.

The High Chief said, “the people of Ogbomosoland and indeed Oyo State are lucky to have a son like Sunday Dare as Minister, his interest in the welfare of his people and commitment to bringing developmental projects to them stands him heads and shoulders above his contemporaries.”

Former Senator Ayo Adeseun also showered encomiums on Chief Sunday Dare for facilitating the building of the Pakiotan 80 bed capacity hospital, the youth vocational training centre in Ogbomoso, the renovation and equipping of the Okelerin Primary Health Centre and using his personal fund to roofing of the Sọun Township Stadium and serving as the co-facilitator of the Federal Polytechnic Ayeede.

Some of the other dignitaries present at the flag off include the former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Olagunju Ojo, Representative of Soun of Ogbomoso, High Chief Aare Ago, Chairman of NSS, Ogbomoso Branch, Prof A.A Agboola, Chairman Ogbomoso Parapo and Alhaji Saka Bello Aremole.

Chief Sunday Dare, Nigeria’s Minister of Youth and Sports has called on the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF to ensure the Super Eagles qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Chief Dare gave the charge on Sunday during the Extraordinary Congress of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF in Benin, Edo State.

The Super Eagles will commence their 2022 World Cup qualifications with double header matches in September against Liberia and Cape Verde.

Chief Dare who was represented by his media aide, Kola Daniel at the Congress noted that the NFF must draw plans to made the country’s youth teams participate and perform well at age grade competitions adding that the Federal Government would soon inaugurate a committee that will draw up a 10 year master plan for football development in Nigeria.

“I wish to use this medium to urge the football family most especially the Nigerian Football Federation about the World Cup qualification which is at the door step. We are starting our first World Cup qualifying match early next month and it is expected that we take the matches seriously and prepare very well so that we can as well qualify for the World Cup in Qatar 2022.

“We have two matches to play in the month of September, the match against Liberia and Cape Verde. I want to state here that we should avoid permutations at the dying minute. We should get ready to pick maximum points when needed at the early stage of the qualifiers so that we will not find ourselves in a tight corner.

“Consequently, I want to also use this medium to wish you a fruitful deliberation in your Congress and come out with plans that can as well bring about the growth of football in the country. The grassroot football should be one of your major focus so we can as well present a formidable team that would bring about podium performance in the U17 and U20.

The NFF remains the lead organization in football development and it must retool for the work ahead. I am sure this NFF leadership can do it if they want to do it.

The FG Committee on 10-year football master plan will soon be announced

“If you can genuinely put the country at heart in your Congress, we will continue to get it right as far as football is concerned. I wish you great deliberations.

The Nigeria Pillar of Sports, Chief Donatus Agu Ejidike, JP has praised the courage and patriotism of President Mohammadu Buhari for fulfilling the federal government reward of housing units for the gallant and victorious 1994 Super Eagles squad who did the nation proud winning the coveted African Nations Cup diadem 27 years ago.

Chief Donatus Agu Ejidike in a statement sounded that errors of 27 years were corrected even though some of the patriotic Nigerian players have gone to the life beyond.

The sports philanthropist added that going by the common aphorism that “late is better never “ aptly placates frayed nerves on the actualization of the reward by the present administration under the leadership of president Buhari would give hope to Nigerians that their labor would never be in vain in any national engagements.

Ejidike lamented that the crew of the 1944 Super Eagles waited in vain for so long to receive the reward which was announced by Late President Sani Abacha the maximum ruler.

He sounded that it is unfortunate that many glorious sportsmen died in abject penury even as many of them could not afford hospital bills despite their contributions to the fame of the country through sports in their life time.

Ejidike admonished the Federal Government and the State government to always give men and women honorable place in their policies promptly.“

These sports Nigerians in their chosen career had done this country proud and deserved to be honored and appreciated promptly to encourage budding talents to have their zeal and patriotic spirit to dorn in the national colors”.

The Nigeria Pillar of Sports declared that for this singular act of President Buhari, history will continue to bear witness.

 Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr Sunday Dare has charged APC Youth to avail themselves of the various opportunities created by government to develop themselves to guarantee the future.

The Minister was speaking on Monday at the first ever Progressive Youth Conference themed The Future is a Decision.
According to Minister
“This gathering will be remembered as one of the most important youth gatherings in our history, especially for our party, the APC whose core is the progressive principle. The youth of the APC stock have chosen a perfect time to interrogate the future of the youth within the progressive ideology and by so doing draw the party and its energetic youth into the arena of constructive discourse.
I thank President Muhammadu Buhari for the great and committed leadership he continues to provide for this country.
From all fronts- political, social and economical- we have a President who continues to engage the youth, NYIF, NPower, Not Too Young to Run Bill, Public Works program. The youth agenda of our great party the APC is alive!”

“The Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) is of one such initiative that this government approved for the Nigerian youth in order to support their innovative ideas, enterprise and business ideas.
At the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, we recognized the urgency of quickly weighing in and providing the finances that the youth need to grow their enterprise, ideas, and businesses hence our rapid deployment of part of the Fund while the system was being fine-tuned. Once properly set up, NYIF would disburse loans to the youth at a faster pace. To realize this, the Ministry is in consultations with other partners to expand the loans disbursement platform to fast-track access to the Fund.”

The Minister reiterated believe in youth leadership.
“When they say the youth are the leaders of tomorrow,  I’ve said it repeatedly since I became minister,  that yes,  the youth are the leaders of tomorrow,  but now, in this political construct, the youths are now leaders starting today. And unless you start being leaders now in your communities,  professional groups and places of work,  you will not wake up one day to become a leader,  you must learn the ropes.”

He affirmed that The Progressive concept emphasizes progress, success, society friendly, problem solving, solution oriented, people oriented and one with a temperament of vigilance.
The Minister said the present administration is focused on Human Capital Development, something which Bill Gates stated clearly “unless a nation builds on its human capital Development,  it can never  develop”

Therefore, I urge the youth to acquire skills that are relevant.
There are 150 digital skills, but from our study,  about 25 of them can help you get jobs within our society. You can be in the comfort of your office in Abuja and outsource your skills but you must get that additional skill.  You can get it from many government training programs on and offline.”

On sports as business, he said:
” Sports for us, under this progressive administration is no longer recreational but now a business. This government is about wealth creation and we are leveraging sports to develop the minds, talent and the financial status of our youth.”

 “The Future is indeed a decision. But that decision must be made Now” the Minister concluded

The Federal Federal Government has appointed erstwhile Super Eagles skipper, John Mikel Obi as Youth Ambassador to inspire young Nigerian to strive for excellence.

The event which took place at the NOC secretariat, National Stadium, Surulere Lagos on Friday is another of the Minister’s initiative geared towards driving a vibrant youth for national development.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr Sunday Dare described the former Chelsea legend as a role model whose lasting legacies in football development has continued to have positive impact on youths in the country.

The Minister promised to support Mikel’s vision and vision for sports development in the country and assured the Stoke City midfielder of Federal Government unalloyed support whenever he chose to invest in the country.

“Time will not permit me to say much about Mikel’s success as a footballer. He is our legend and a role model who has continued to impact the lives of youth positively.”

“It is it my pleasure to appoint you as Nigeria Youth Ambassador. It’s a new portfolio and your role as youth ambassador will be made known to Nigerians,” the Minister asserted.”

In his response, Mikel expressed delight with his new portfolio and promised to work with the sports Ministry to foster youth development in the country.
“I feel highly honored to be appointed as Youth Ambassador of this country, it is a great feeling. I am happy with this partnership and I promise to do my best to encourage and inspire the youths towards national development not just in football but in other sports like Basketball, Boxing among others”, said Mikel.

The event was followed by a tour of the National stadium, Surulere which is under going rehabilitation.

The Minister stated that alot of efforts had been put into the rehabilitation of the stadium with much emphasis on the pitch, scoreboard, tantran tracks and the spectators’ stand. He stressed that the Ministry had also partnered with a private organization to change the seat of the 45, 000 capacity Stadium to a standard one
“A lot has been put in place to ensure that the stadium returns to what it used to be. The seats are no longer in line with FIFA standard, but we have partnered a private organization to have modern seats in place,” he concluded.

Signed

Media office of the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved appointments into the National Governing Board of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Those appointed are: Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar as Chairman; Prince Oyekunle Oyewunmi, President’s Nominee; Mrs. Binta Muaza, President’s Nominee, Yusut Umar Nalado, President’s Nominee; Major Gen B.O. Sawyerr, Representative of the Chief of Army Staff, Commissioner of Police Ede Ayuba, Representing the Inspector General of Police; Architect Sani Aliyu, Representing the Committee of Rectors of Polytechnics; and Professor Sulyman A. Abdulkareem, Representing Committee of Vice Chancellors.

Their appointment is for three years.

The National Governing Board is the highest policy-making organ of the NYSC.

-Ministry of Youth and Sports Development. May. 21. 2021.

With the recent happening on Insecurity in the country, Abraham Jacob a concerned students’ leader has appealed to bandits in the country to leave students alone as their victims and redirect their targets to politicians who are the main reasons why the multiple resources in the country are not evenly distributed therefore leaving innocent hardworking employable men, women and youths to indulge in acts that basically threatens the existence of law and orderliness in the country.

Abraham said that students can not meet the demands of these bandits with the popular identity of “Unknown Gunmen”, hence students in their innocence should not be mapped out as their targets for kidnapping and banditry.

“It is so unfair that these kidnappers in the guise of unknown gunmen are making life so unbearable for the average Nigerian students in their respective citadel of learning”.

This to say the least is absolutely unfair to the students community.

We do not know the reasons for all of these high increase in insecurity in the country but the average Nigerian is not unaware that all of these boils down to political score counts from corrupt politicians. Students should not be used as the sacrificial lamb in all of these.

“Bandits should therefore go after Politicians for they are the sole solution providers to the problems bedeviling our country”.

Comr. Abraham who pointed at the sad incident of kidnapping of an undisclosed numbers of students of Greenfield University and the subsequent killings of over five of them by their kidnappers who according to the news made available to the public are demanding for a ransom of over 800 Million Naira, the kidnapping of Students of Forestry College Kaduna despite the institution’s compound closeness to a military academy, noted that Armed groups have repeatedly struck northern Nigerian schools and universities since December 2020, abducting more than 700 students for ransom.

This he described as a threat to our freedom to life and Education in the country, stating that instead of going after innocent students in their respective educational Institutes, bandits should concentrate more on corrupt politicians for they are the reasons why the center no longer holds for Nigerians in Nigeria.

“Corrupt politicians are the ones hoarding our country’s resources alone to themselves and their families, should you go after them, we can be sure that they will no longer amass the lean resources of the country. Please leave students and the poor masses alone”.

Abraham Jacob writes from Lokoja, Kogi State.