One of the hallmarks that has added the success of Hon. Sunday Dare as Nigeria’s Youth and Sports Minister is the unprecedented revamp of sports infrastructures in the country.

Since the start of Sunday Dare’s tenure, the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja has been revived and has gone on to pass the FIFA and CAF test, as it has hosted a number of international matches. Also, the National Stadium, Surulere which was abandoned for years is on the verge of being completely turned around. Moreso, the Daura Township Stadium has been transformed for the utilization of about 45 teams in the area, after the famous ground was left to rot. The Ahmadu Bello Stadium and other facilities are also set for transformation under the wholesome plans of the ministry, led by Hon. Sunday Dare.

Speaking on this infrastructure development drive, Sunday Dare said “we came to the realization that at the heart of sports development is to have infrastructures and facilities that are befitting for such lofty ambitions. So my team and I, set out a grand plan to change the narrative on sports infrastructures in Nigeria”.

“Due to the capital-intensive nature of these projects, we engaged the private sector to see how we could leverage on public-private partnerships and we brought the private sector on board”.

One of the transformed infrastructures is the Moshood Abiola Stadium. A once abandoned edifice has now hosted the Super Eagles, the Super Falcons, the Falconets (U-20 Girls), the Flying Eagles (U-20 Boys), the Flamingoes (U-17 Girls), Golden Eaglets (U-17 Boys), as well as NPFL Matches, all in the space of one year. The stadium is also compliant with the VAR technology, modern FIFA-approved technical and players’ bench amongst others.

Answering further, the Minister said, “when we started, we visited FIFA, and at that point, we all agreed that a football nation as big as Nigeria cannot be suffering a huge gap in Infrastructures and we set out to correct this anomaly. We are not where we want to be, but we will not stop working to get as many facilities as a possibile up to scratch. We are not just upgrading our facilities, we are also putting up maintenance deals because this is the only way to guarantee their longevity”.

While this drive continues, one could posit that, in the coming years, Nigeria will be able to compete with contemporaries on its sporting infrastructures.

*Set sight on National Sports Festival

A 2019 quarterfinalist at the Research Institute Games Festival, RIGAN, Seunayo Bankole has clinched the 2021 Badminton Male Single Digital category at the just concluded games.

It will be recalled that the 17th edition of the festival which is been played in 2022 is supposed to have been played in 2021, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, it was cancelled and postponed for this year, hence, while it’s still called 2021 edition.

This year RIGAN was hosted in Abuja at the Moshod Abiola Stadium which saw a collection of young and experienced players gathered to keep fitness, test skills, discover new talents and create records.

The games lived up to expectations as Seunayo Bankole in Badminton who was making its appearance for the second time made history by defeating a three-time back to back champion, Mr Kayode Lati to clinch the Male Single Digital Category after losing his first set and pulling out in the second set due to injury.

Speaking to the Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Kogi State chapter, Bishop Aturu,  Bankole expressed joy and happiness over the new feet in his Badminton career.

According to him, he was more determined coming into this year’s festival taking strength from his first appearance in 2019.

He disclosed that “2019 edition was my first experience and I got knocked out at the quarter-finals. My performance was good enough to push me through to the next phase then, but I lacked the required experience which is very vital in this game.

” Going back home, I resolve to train harder and play more games, especially with older hands to build my experience and skills.

“I want to thank God, my family, training mates and National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research, NIFFR for the belief and opportunity given to me to show my skills.

“Getting to the finals and knowing who I was going to play, I had mixed feelings; excitement and fear, looking at the profile of my opponent, I had to put aside his profile of being undefeated in three editions and work on my weakness to be formidable and flawless.

“I wasn’t happy he pulled out from the second set due to injury, but I was happy that I was able to prove a point from the first set and wasn’t going to be a pushover”. He concluded.

He however stressed that he will be back on the court immediately for more training and will be willing to test his strength at the upcoming National Sports Festival if given the opportunity to represent his state.

Bankole further emphasised that the National Sports Festival is the biggest stage of sports festival in the country and would want to someday explore the opportunity to face bigger and tougher experience hands.

While wishing Mr Lati a speedy recovery, he stressed that he would also work harder to ensure he becomes a winning champion like Mr Lati and remain an undisputed and unbeatable champion for as long as his strength can carry him.

“We have in a delibrate way moved resources and the latest which is really exciting is Cricket. The newly appointed coach for cricket is one of the best in the World . Three days ago, the International Cricket Federation approved Nigeria to host two major tournaments.

This is unprecedented and we think wherever we have talents we are going to support such sports to grow”.
On the achievements of the Basketball teams , he affirmed
“Our basketball teams are
really doing well, and more sponsors are gradually coming to identify with our Basketball teams apart from Total owing to the fact that both the Female and Male teams are going well”. Dare concluded.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Mr Dare asserted that the promise made on assumption of Office a year ago that the pitch and indeed other facilities will be revived, in line with the Ministry’s policy of Adopt Campaign.

‘’ I promised that this pitch and indeed other facilities will be revived and put to best use by athletes… in line with that mandate, we sought the support of many philantropists and sold them our vision of bringing back the glory days when our national stadia were filled to capacity on football game days which were the melting pot of various cultures and people of all ages.

The Minister thanked the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote for responding to the call to restore the edifice. After months of discussions, planning and processing, that promise has come to fulfillment today with the kick –off of the project… the football pitch will be getting the long overdue face- lift it deserves.’’

Mr Dare commended Alhaji Dangote and his group for believing in the vision of the Ministry by agreeing to partner with it to restore the fading glory of the edifice. The Minister further asserted: ‘This landmark event reinforces my faith in the public-private sector partnership in line with Government’s efforts at delivering on our mandate. Government alone cannot fund sports and maintain facilities. We need more private corporations to take a cue from what Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Chief Adebutu Kessington have done in supporting our drive to renovate and maintain our facilities for use by our athletes and to play host to international events.

While urging Messrs. Aron Nig. Ltd, the Contractor to move with the speed of light, Mr. Dare said government had imbibed a proper maintenance culture to guarantee that the huge sum spent on these projects are not wasted.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Gabriel Aduda averred that the Government does not have the resources to maintain sporting facilities, hence the strategy to partner with the private sector through the Ministry’s adopt campaign. To this end, the Permanent Secretary stated that the campaign is yielding fruits.

Speaking during the event, the representative of Dangote Group, Engr. Ahmed Mansur stated that the Company was committing One Million US Dollars to the project, to ensure that the main bowl pitch of Moshood Abiola Stadium is restored to world class.

The ceremony was witnessed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba; President of the Nigeria Olympics C ommittee, Engr. Habu Gumel, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut, Special Assistant to Mr President On Sports, Daniel Amokachie; Nwankwo Kanu, Garba Lawal, Tijani Babangida, Chika Chukwumerije and Gabriel Okon; and an impressive array of our ex-internationals in attendance to lend support to the Minister of Youth and Sports Develpt.; Mr Sunday Dare.

MEDIA OFFICE TO THE HONOURABLE MINISTER
OF YOUTH AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT