Ogun Speaker Suggests Pathway For Solid Sports Policies In Nigeria

Hon. Oluomo

ABEOKUTA - The Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo has said that it would take a whole lot of things to change for the country to regain its place among the biggest sporting nations of the world.

According to Oluomo, Nigeria has to return to grassroots to discover talents and then employ well trained coaches to nurture them and bring out the champions in them. 

Oluomo who was a guest speaker at the opening ceremony and Lecture of the 2021 Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Ogun State Chapter week, spoke through his representative, Ogbeni Kola Ishola.

While speaking on the theme “Quality Legislation Towards A Sustainable Sports Policy in Nigeria”, he said the nation needs a solid sports policy.

He believes the country needs the return of the NSC to move the sector forward.

He suggested that the only way the country’s sports could return to its days of glory was for the Sports Commission to be reintroduced into the Sports Ministry with experts constituting the board.

He said, the implementation of the existing laws on sports in Ogun state remained a challenge to achieve the desired results.

He, however, reaffirmed the commitment of the 9th Assembly to quality legislation that would enhance sports development in the state.

He maintained that, the development of sports is everybody’s responsibility.

Oluomo said that all hands must be on deck to ensure sports development in the state and the country at large.

In his words, “Quality legislation has to be sustainable to be able to adapt to what is already on ground. Sports has Stakeholders like athletes, administrators, writers (Journalists), sports associations, and International federations.

“For Ogun State House of Assembly, the norm is to adopt the bottom-top approach. SWAN can locate an area of concern and take it to the house via a member of the House of Assembly. Quality legislation, implementation, maintenance of sports facilities, and the Nigerian factor are different things altogether. With all hands on deck, sports development will be a reality in Ogun State and Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, Ogun State government has stressed the need for sports writers to embark on more developmental programmes that would assist the state in raising strong sportsmen and women from the untapped abundant resources across the state.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Waheed Odusile stated this while declaring open the 2021 Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN week in Abeokuta.

Alhaji Odusile who is the Chairman of the occasion, acknowledged the importance of sports towards building a virile society, stressing that the business of sports development should not be shouldered on government alone but a collective responsibility.

Alhaji Odusile encouraged the leadership of the association in the state to give priority to the capacity building of members apart from organizing competitions.

He equally reaffirmed the state government's determination to use sports as instrument to promote, empower and take youths away from criminal acts in an efforts to put them on the right track.

In his welcome address, the SWAN Chairman in the state, Alhaji Hakeem Akintunde noted that appropriate legislation would enable the younger generation to participate in sports without fear.

Alhaji Akintunde gave the assurance that the association would not relent in its efforts to ensure the development of sports in the state through regular interaction with stakeholders in the sector.