Mr Sunday Dare on Wednesday was sworn in as new Minister of Youth and Sports by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He became the 15th man to man the sports ministry since the advent of the fourth republic in May 1999 and the second man to be appointed from the South West, incidentally after Professor Taoheed Adedoja, who also hails from Oyo State.
Dare, before the new appointment was the executive commissioner in charge of stakeholders management.
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The new Sports Minister, is a veteran journalist who has worked in diverse aspects of the media, they include broadcasting (TV and radio), journalism (electronic and print), and decades of multimedia journalism experience spanning over 25 years.
He succeeds Barrister Solomon Dalung, who held sway during the first term of office of the Buhari administration.
Dare’s first assignment remains the participation of Nigeria’s D’Tigers at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China where Nigeria will face Russia in the opening group B game on Saturday, August 31 as the team has been lamenting non-release of funds from the Ministry of Sports.
List of sports ministers since 1999:
- Damishi Sango.
- Engr. Ishaya Mark Aku (Late).
- Steven Ibn Akiga (Late).
- Col. Musa Mohammed (retd).
- Dr Saidu Sambawa.
- Bala Bawa Ka’Oje.
- Abdulrahman Gimba.
- Engr. Sani Ndanusa.
- Alhaji Ibrahim Isa Bio.
- Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.
- Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman.
- Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.
- Dr Tamuno Danagogo.
- Barrister Solomon Dalung.