Nigeria: New Sports Minister, Suleiman, Resumes

Daily Independent (Lagos)

Tony Ezimakor

13 July 2011

Abuja — New sPORTS Minister and Chairman National Sports Commission (NSC), Yusuf Suleiman, formally took charge of affairs on Wednesday vowing to tackle the crises in sports and especially football with a view to restoring normalcy in the sector, and bequeath an enduring legacy of true sports development and promotion.

He noted rather sadly that the crises in the sector have eaten so deep so much so that administrators waste valuable time managing the needless crises rather than focus on improving sports development in the country.

The former Transport Minister said that he has been assigned by President Goodluck Jonathan to fix the problem in sports, particularly football alerting that he would face the task of restoring normalcy in the area with all sense of vigor.

“Everything I do, I do it with great sense of commitment. I am a very serious person and I do things seriously. Sports development has been reduced to crisis management. These crises are themselves avoidable. I am going to do all that is possible to restore peace in the sector; bring all the warring factions together and ensure sports move forward,” he stated.

Suleiman warned the stakeholders to be ready to embrace peace as he would not like to spend his time in the sports commission merely as another crisis manager.

” I do not hope to remain here as crisis manager; that is why Mr president has assigned me to fix this problem once and fall all,”he continued.

The NSC boss who was received on arrival at the commission by the NSC Director general Patrick Ekeji and top management staff of the commission maintained that he has no hidden agenda but contribute his quota in ensuring that sports is given added boost.

Ekeji in his remark congratulated the minister on behalf of staff , whom he said is not just experienced but also committed and loyal to the course of ensuring all rounded development of sport in the country.

He said the immediate task for which the minister would be briefed include preparation for the All Africa Games and the London 2012 Olympics.

Ekeji underscored the need for peace to rain in the sector without which quest to harness teeming talents will not be realized.

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