The leadership of the resuscitated National Sports Commission (NSC) has been urged to focus on developing sports in the country through policies that will aid players and athletes’ career growth and development.
Sporting Tribune recall that Mallam Shehu Dikko and former Ogun State sports commissioner, Bukola Olopade were appointed as the Chairman and Director General of the NSC respectively by President Bola Tinubu.
The President/Owner of Gboko City Chiefs Basketball Team, Orseer Ikyaator, stated this at the Awards and Gala Night organised for the team in Abuja over the weekend. Gboko City Chiefs emerged as the third best team at the recently concluded Nigeria Premier Basketball League.
Ikyaator, who was part of the senior male national basketball team, D’Tigers from 2008 to 2013, expressed confidence in the ability in the duo of Dikko and Olopade to steer Nigerian sports to greater heights based on their experiences and expertise in the sports sector.
While assuring the NSC of his support to achieve success, he called on the Commission to return basketball in Nigeria to its enviable past saying there has to be a shift from mindset of taking from the sports at all times but to develop and make it marketable again.
“First of all I want to say a congratulations to Shehu Dikko on his appointment. He is somebody we have known and he’s someone we have all seen his impact in the sports sector and we are open to partnering at all level. It’s gratifying that the Commission is under someone whose leadership is trusted and somebody that is hardworking. We are open the partnership at all levels.
“I trust that the chairman and the Director General (of NSC) will do and give their best to sports in the country because they possess the requisite qualities to lead Nigerian sports to where it truly belongs.
“Like I said, we have to aim to give to the sport (basketball). We can keep taking away from the sports. There has to be a shift in the mindset of whoever the authorities are that handle these positions. We have to aim to give to the sports and develop it. Sports is a business as we all know but it is at a place right now that is not even marketable. How do you even sell what you cannot market?
“But like I said, there is always room for improvement. And with the new people that have been appointed to handle the affairs of sports in Nigeria, we pray and we hope that there will be some improvement. We expect more focus and attention,” Ikyaator who was part of D’Tigers that won gold at the 2011 All African Games in Mozambique told Sporting Tribune.
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