THE Nigerian Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM) on Monday urged the National Assembly to enact a bill that would make the revival of academicals sports compulsory for all the schools in the country.Speaking during an interactive session with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, the committee noted that sports would continue to witness a downward trend in the country unless the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan, who ordered the inauguration of the committee to revive school sports, is actualised.NASCON Chairman, Segun Odegbami, noted that to actualise the president's vision,his committee has taken some measures to ensure that school sports, which he argued was once the pillar of sporting activities in the country, is returned to its glorious position in the country.'NASCOM has taken the challenge by Mr. President very seriously,' he said. 'We have been working tirelessly for months, andare quite conscious of the Nigerian factor that cripples bright ideas and renders them impotent even before they start.'We are fully aware of the problems and challenges that we shall encounter along the way. But we welcome the challenges and are undeterred.We believe achieving this is a mission that will change the face of Nigerian sports, the youths and education forever.'We have no illusions about the enormity of the obstacles that stand between us and success, but for the good of our children, for the future of the next generation, for the unity and peace of our country driven by the youths, we have a responsibility and a mandate to make our own little contribution to the desired transformation agenda of Mr. President, and make a difference.That's all we can do' make a difference.'Odegbami acknowledged that to achieve a good result, the committee needed to scale many hurdles: 'There is still a long way to go in this marathon race, but we pledge and promise that we shall not give up, no matter the odds. That's the stuff great sportsmen are made of.'Our only demands of you are: How do we institute this into law of our land to give 'teeth' (and) enforcing authority to our grand vision' How do we drive this ambitious, essential and laudable project if provision for funding is not made statutory for this committee''Responding to the request, the Chairman, House Committee on Sports, Godfrey Gaiya, who noted that his committee had not been notified about the existence of NASCOM, lauded the initiatives of the President in calling for the revival of school sports through the academicals committee.While pledging the support of his committee, Gaiya, however, pointed out that the president would have to introduce the bill, which he assured would get the support of the sports committee.He added that the various states of the federation must be encouraged to identify with the works of NASCOM, since most of the schools belong to the government.
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