Why Nigeria is failing in sports development — Ex-sports minister

A former Minister of Sports and Special Duties, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, has opened up on why Nigeria is yet to get it right in sports development.

Adedoja said the country’s sports development had been politicised and appointments to ministerial positions had not been based on professionalism.

He stated this during the opening ceremony of the National Conference organised by the National Association for Physical, Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance (NAPHER-SD), held at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), on Thursday.

Adedoja, who was the chairman of the occasion, said that out of the 35 sports ministers appointed since independence, he was the only professional in sports development.

“The foundation for any sports development in any country you know is physical education. But we are missing the point in this country.

“Since Nigeria gained independence, Nigeria had 35 Sports Ministers, I became one, and at the time I became minister for sports and later added special duties by the President Jonathan.

“Among the 35 Ministers of sports in Nigeria, I was the only professional in sport developments who was appointed.

“Nigeria cannot make it in sports development unless it recognises the importance of employing people in this area for sports development.

“Sports development in Nigeria has been over politicised and that is why we are not getting it right. No continuity of policy,” he said.

Adedoja, who was also the pioneer Head of Department of Physical and Health Education at BUK, said Physical Education had grown from a one-man department to five departments, providing students with opportunities for employment.

He said the students were not in the wrong profession because they contributed to the development of the nation.

The President of the association, Prof. Florence Bola-Adeyanju, appealed to the government to work closely with the association to improve the dwindling situation in sports in the country.

She said the conference was taking place at a critical moment when the nation and the global community were demanding greater transparency, integrity and accountability.

She said the three sectors were important to the development of human capital and national well-being.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of BUK, Prof. Haruna-Musa, represented by the Dean, Faculty of Education, Dr Abubakar Ibrahim-Hassan, said the event was historic.

He described the theme of the event as timely, noting that transparency, integrity and accountability were challenges in a society where all had been eroded in the values and lives of the people.