Minister Sets-up Committee to Immortalize Sports Heroes

In its quest to promote and expand the virtues of legacy and mentorship associated with establishing a Sports Hall of Fame similar to other climes, the Federal Government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development is resolutely committed to commission/launch a bespoke world class befitting Sports Hall of FAME,that  wouldimmortalize our Sportsmen and women, who have served and brought honour to their fatherland  while representing the country.

The Minister, Mr Sunday Dare,  represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Gabriel Aduda, made these declarations while inaugurating a 12- member Committee on the Official Commissioning /Launching of the Sports Hall of Fame and Second Edition of Nigeria Sports Books of Records..

Expatiating further, the Minister stated that the project of immortalizing our heroes in Sports is long overdue, stressing, the task of tracking the records of our sportsmen and women, who have left their footprints on the sands of time is being prioritized and accorded the primacy of attention and consideration, which necessitated the setting up of the Committtee. Sports Hall of Fame, the Minister noted, stands to make an enduring and positive impression on the minds of younger generations and unborn generation to emulate our sports heroes, and by so doing consider sports as an enviable and noble profession to take.

While acknowledging the unique thematic focus of the Committee as a twin agenda ( including Second Edition of Nigeria Sports Book of Records )  the Minister opined that it is essential for the Committee to  liaise with the Federal Ministry  of Education towards entrenching sports into the school curriculum for the benefit of making our students appreciate the value of sports. In the course of addressing members of the Committee, the Minister stated that the Ministry’s efforts to transform Sports from recreation into a money spinning business/enterprise as exemplified in other climes is advancing positively. Government he stated, would provide the enabling environment for the private sector to flourish, thereby generating wealth that would benefit stakeholders in the sports industry, aside its boosting Nigeria’s GDP.

Responding, the Chairman of the Committeee, Mr. Dans Adokiye and Deputy Director in the Planning Monitoring & Information Dept. of the Ministry, stated that the Committee would justify the confidence reposed in them by the Honourable Minister and the Permanent Secretary, by working assiduously to successfully deliver the mandates/terms of reference.

The terms of Reference for the Committee are but not limited to the following:

a. To produce the Ministry’s initiatives and programmes for inclusion in the second edition of Nigeria’s Sports Book of Records

b. To plan the successful induction of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, into the Sports Hall of Fame for being the first world Leader whose country won the U-17 FIFA World Cup twice while in Office (1985 and 2015) being World Record

c. To use the event to raise Funds through donations and sponsorships

d. To suggest names of prominent Nigerians who have played vital role in the development of sports in Nigeria, for MERIT AWARDS for the Minister’s approval.

Ramon Balogun

Asst. Direct, Press

For: Director, Press