A former Chairman, Gray’s Football Club of Ede, Osun State, Dr. Tiamiyu Bello, has asked the Federal Government to allow sporting activities to resume in the country since the number of COVID-19 cases is already decreasing.
This urge came as the sports expert identified wrong appointments, lack of clear cut sports policy, management and funding as impediments to the growth and development of sports in Nigeria.
Bello made these known while featuring as a guest speaker at the monthly stakeholders forum of the Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria, Osun State Chapter, held in Osogbo on Wednesday.
He said until these pressing issues were addressed, sports development in the country would perpetually remain at apogee.
The former Chairman of Ede North Local Government chided government for making the sports ministry a dumping ground where anybody, irrespective of his qualification and experience were being deployed.
He said, “There is no magic or miracle to make our sports develop until we put right pegs in the right holes. The growth of sports in Nigeria will remain static if the same situation persists. Those who don’t know anything about sports have continually been made Ministers and Commissioners of Sports while experienced ex-internationals, athletes and sports journalists are snubbed.
“Having someone from the field of sports as ministers and commissioners of sport means the problem is half solved as the person will know what needs to be done as and when due, even when the chips are down.”
Bello added, “It is really sad that sports ministries and agencies are now dumping grounds for inexperienced political office seekers. These people don’t know anything about sports and this is why sports business is not growing in the country. A lot of money comes into sports ministry that the Federal Government is even aware. There are parts of the corruption that must be checked before sports can grow.
“There is a need for whistleblowing mechanism in the sports sector to expose this corruption. I want to implore governments at all levels to shift the paradigm and ensure that appointments at the sports ministries are exclusively for those from the sports circle.”
Speaking on when sporting activities should resume in Nigeria, the Chief Medical Director of Bello Medical Centre, Kirikiri Town, Lagos, said there was no reason for further delay in resumption since other sectors of the country were picking up already.
He, however, added that there were certain measures sports administrators should take before sporting events would kick off fully.
Bello said, “There is nothing stopping sporting activities from picking up fully in Nigeria. The time is ripe and the delay is unnecessary. It may surprise you that this delay might be a tactic for some people to keep funds for other purposes.
“Efforts should be made to conduct tests for players and athletes as it was done in the developed countries of the world. After this, those who are affected should be quarantined in line with the protocols while others should be allowed to return to field and start the new league seasons.”
In his goodwill message, the Chief Press Secretary to the Osun State Governor, Ismail Omipidan, a former General Secretary of the Borno Chapter of SWAN, commended the efforts of Osun SWAN in promoting sporting activities in the state.
