Abubakar, Nkechi Obi lead committees as government moves to strenghten sports sector

As part of its efforts to re-energise the Nigerian sports industry, the Federal Government has set up a National Sports Industry Policy Drafting Committee, which is expected to come up with a document that will guide the country’s quest to return to the comity of great sporting nations.

The committee co-headed by former national tennis champion, Dr. Sadiq Abdullahi and a director in the ministry of sports, Dr. Are Ademola, is expected to collate documents from ‘all the engagement processes and incorporate them into a drafting of the 2020 National Sports Industry Policy.’

According to the Federal Government, among the documents the committee is expected to consider are the “harmonised review of the 2009 National Sports Policy; the harmonised reports of the Stakeholder Engagement Sessions; the report of the Inter-Ministerial Technical Session on Sports Development; recommended reports such as Antananarivo Recommendations for Sports Development in Africa and the Kazan 2017 for the development of sports in line with the UN SDGs and the UN 2030 Sustainability; and, Case studies of other sports industry policies of other countries such as Australia, Egypt, South Africa, England, Japan, Ireland, Kenya and Jamaica.”

Other members of the committee are Mr. Telema Davies, Miss Tomisin Olumuyiwa, Mr. Ignatius Chinasa, Mr. Ifedolapo Falope, Dr. Paul Onyeudo, Mr. Peter Nelson, Dr. Simon Ebhojaiye and Dr. Segun Akinlotan.

According to the nomination letter signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Mr. Gabriel Aduda, members of the committee are expected to work remotely “in line with the present day realities occasioned by COVID-19, leveraging available virtual meeting technology and the internet to conduct meetings and further consultations in the delivery of the draft documents, which should be submitted to the SIWG secretariat on or before May 31, 2020.”

Aside the National Sports Industry Policy Drafting Committee, the government has also set up a committee to coordinate and validate the 2018 Draft Policy Stakeholder Engagement Sessions, co-headed by Mrs. Nkechi Obi and Dr. Segun Akinlotan, as well as a Policy Drafting Committee, led by Mr. Chijioke Okoli (SAN) and Mr. Peter Nelson.

Other members of the Coordination and Validation Committee are Mr. Adedammy Adedotun, Mr. Chuka Obi, Mr. Emmanuel Oladunjoye, Mr. Nehita Odigie, Mr. Ewomazino Johnson, Mrs. Elizabeth Okogun, Mrs. Maria Wophil, and Mr. Dans Adokiye. Others are Mrs. Chinedu Joyce-Ezealah, Mr. Tunde Akpeji, Mr. Despan Kwardem, Mr. Olumide Bamiduro, Mr. Arash Yusuf, Mr. Idowu Oladipupo, Mr. Sagaya A.O, and Mr. Chibuzo Ojemeni.

To work with Mr. Chijioke Okoli and Mr. Peter Nelson in the Policy Drafting Committee are Dr. Adewale Olawoyin, Dr. Ikenna Nwosu, Mr. Yahaya Maikori, Mr. Ife Fakunle, Professor Sadiq Abdullahi, Miss Teni Akeju, Mr. Kelvin Omojine, Mr. Kachi Okezie, Mrs. Amaka Agbakoba-Onyejianya, Mrs. Toyosi Alabi, Ms. Lolia Tom-George, Mrs. Funmi Iyayi, Mrs. Ngozi Aderibigbe, Mr. Wale Adekola, Miss Tomisin Olumuyiwa, Mr. Olusola Mesele, Dr. Ademola Are, Mary Onyali, Arc. Abiodun Owoborode, Mr. Atawodi Moses, Engr. Alanamu Abolore, Amaechi Akawo, Mr. Olalekan Alabi, who is the coordinator, Mrs. Ned Ibisobia, Dr. Simonma Ebhojaiye and Dr. Segun Akinlotan.