Nigeria at 52: Nothing to celebrate yet - Sports Minister

SPORTS Minister and Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has given a damning verdict on the state of Nigerian sports in the last 52 years saying that there is nothing to cheer about.Mallam Abdullahi in an exclusive interview with Tribunesports on the score card of Nigerian sports since independence said the country has failed woefully in sports.'You want to know whether, Nigeria has performed well in sports since independence' No, I don't think we have done well in the last 52 years. Individually, I will say yes, because the likes of Hogan Bassey, Dick Tiger, Teslim Thunder Balogun; Nojeem Maiyegun, Emmanuel Ifeajuna, Chioma Ajunwa, Samuel Peters and the likes have done their best and excelled but collectively, it is not yet uhuru.'Now, I will use the Olympics since that is the highest level to measure a country's progress in sports. What have we won at the Olympics since 1952 when Nigerian first participated in the games' Till date, we have only won 23 medals at the Olympics. Can we say that is a satisfactory performance, when individual athletes like Michael Phelps have won more medals than Nigeria.'Get me right. Individually, Nigeria is blessed with many stars who have distinguished themselves. Remember that members of the USA '94 Super Eagles World Cup team are brands that brought glory to Nigeria and others before and after them.''But collectively as a nation, we have not done much. That is how I always wonder if there is any glorious past we are always talking about in sports.'If you talk of time that there were lots of sports activities in the country, yes, if you talk of time when individuals have done extraordinary things against all odds, yes, but as a country 52 years after, I think we ought to have achieved a lot more and I think it is only in that recognition that we can begin to ask ourselves, what do we need to do to move forward''We should ask ourselves what we have been doing wrong and what we need to do because winning medals at the All Africa Games or winning the Nations Cup is not the ultimate. But to attain the highest level in sports like winning the World Cup and dominating the Olympics, which are the bench mark for measuring a country's ultimate success in football and sports.'Mallam Abdullahi, however, believed that there is still a silver lining as he promised to produce a roadmap that will channel and direct sports development in the country.'We are not resting on our oars, very soon, the ministry will launch a blue print for sports development that will remove the clog in our path of progress,' he added.
Click here to read full news..