By Jude Opara, Abuja
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko has emphasized the need for all sports in the country to enjoy equal level of attention; saying it’s in a bid to propel total development within the different sports federations.
Dikko who spoke in an interview at the weekend reiterated that the time has come for other sports to get the kind of attention which football has received so as to ensure the holistic growth of Nigeria’s sports ecosystem.
“We have to use the passion we have for football to facilitate other sports to come along. Every sport should be given the opportunity to develop and to function optimally within their own ecosystem,” Dikko said.
The NSC boss while highlighting the need for balanced support and development strategies stated that the Commission will be committed to nurturing a diverse range of sports and federations.
“There should be no fear. We’re not going to leave anything behind for the total development of all sports and the ecosystem. Every sport will get its fair share, what it deserves, the way it should be done and supported to do what it is supposed to do,” he stated.
He further noted that lessons learned from the country’s football system could be leveraged to advance other sports, creating a stronger and more diverse athletic landscape.
“The football experience will help jumpstart us to where we need to be with other sports, as we continue to develop all-round” Dikko added.
This strategic approach underlines the NSC’s vision of fostering a comprehensive sports environment where all federations can thrive, contributing to national pride and economic development.
It could be recalled that Dikko, a former second vice president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was last month appointed as the Chairman of the NSC after the former Ministry of Sports Development was scrapped by President Bola Tinubu.
