Like previous years, 2019 is going and so doing, stocks are taken and agenda set for the coming year. Whatever will happen in our sports  in 2020 will depend solely on Sunday Dare and his advisers in the Sports Ministry and some  Journalists that run rings around, telling him lies, which unfortunately have proven to be what he likes to hear.

Sports in 2020 would be or not, depending on Sunday Dare. Again, the development or the underdevelopment of sports in 2020 will depend on Sunday Dare’s attitude towards the gossips that spew from some of the so-called technocrats in the Ministry as well as some sports journalists that have sadly sacrificed professionalism on ‘the altar of what the stomach will eat journalism.’ Great outing looms for sports in every sphere if the suggestions listed in this piece are religiously pursued. No more, No less!

As a Journalist from strong reportorial background, I grew up under the strict tutelage of core professionals if you like newspapermen. I have done this ritual oftentimes in the past and now here I am doing it again and again.

It is a call to duty and it is always exciting sitting in front of your computer reeling out what you know best doing. Last week on this page, we highlighted the highs and lows of 2019 while we gave kudos to the deserving and knocks where necessary.

It is our tradition here to give honour to whom it is due and to expose the blameworthy. We have also developed thick skin in the process. In a few days from now, 2020 will be here and as humans, resolutions would be taken or have been taken that would guard or serve as new goals or outlooks or new believe to attain.

It holds water in many climes but in this part of the world, everything is politics. In Nigeria, public officials do what they like and as long as they are loyal to the political party in power they get away with corrupt practices. This is why the immediate past sports minister; Solomon Dalung, despite messing up the whole arena, is not cooling his heels in prison because his political party is not only in government but in power.

Sunday Dare, the Sports Minister started off on wrong note by listening to gossips and one of the fallouts of his wrong steps is what has brought the Athletics Federation of Nigeria to where it is now. He sheepishly bought the gossips hook line and sinker, bringing us where athletics’ is today.

After that blunder, he has picked the pieces and retraced his steps and started looking forward to administering sports developmentally, instead of the other way round. Some bold steps he has so far taken attracted my fancy and like this page said last week, we will continue to monitor and watch him keenly and encourage him for taking right and solid steps, using adoption method to see if sports can move forward. One hopes it will be well with that strategy. Now 2020 is lurking around and how we go about it successfully would be to be firm and not to be shaky or lukewarm.

If sports must look up from 2020, depth thinking and upwardly mobile disposition should be adopted in the approach to administering the games, be it the minister or president of national federations.

Result should be the first stake and assurance that people chosen or appointed towards achieving set goals are not selected based on tribe or cronyism but persons that have the capacity to deliver.

The Minister and Presidents of national sports federations must be on the road to find sponsors for the sports.

Though the economy has been bleeding, however, the corporate bodies can pull their resources even together to sponsor our athletes’ in any sports as most of our talented youths have finally heeded the call to exhibit their God-given talents in any sports they have comparative advantage.   

This page insists that if Dare would not be going back and forth, he must be a true sportsman to the core, devoid of sentiment, tribal colourations, hearsay or shadow chasing like when he started.

Yes, this Columnist has long acknowledged the last minute works of the Minister that has given hope and hold to sports development and one requests that such step of adoption be pursued vigorously in 2020 so as to widely consolidate on the gains.

Such an agenda should be the order of the day as we move towards 2020.

 The truth is that there is much to do for sports development and not just one-off stuff because 2020 showcases Olympics in Japan. The private sector must come in to support Dare and his team should play their cards to attract more wealthy individuals to key into his adoption agenda which this writer has long given clean bill of health if it is transparently handled. Otherwise, it will go the same way as other supposed laudable programmes of the past.    

Again, ensuring that sports truly go grassroots from 2020 must not be pursued with lip service as has been. There has to be a total discovery of talents that would replace the ageing athletes.  Such an agenda is like a revolution whose time has come.

If what Dare has come to do would not end up like some of his predecessors, he must feign deafness and turn blind eyes to the politics of national sports federations. He should pursue how he would make sports grow and ensure that athletes and their coaches are adequately catered for.   

Dear readers, as we enter 2020 with a full glimmer of hope in all spheres in the polity,  we pray that Sunday Dare would write his name in gold after he leaves Sports Ministry. Solomon Dalung messed up things tasking Presidents, all in his bid to raise enough fund for his 2023 Guber election in Plateau State. That was what he came for and got it. He unashamedly leads delegates and attends all championships.

Our social media platforms are active and alive, join us to set the agenda for sports in 2020.

Keep shooting hard till next week!!