By Daily Sports on March 2, 2020

Last week, Sunday Dare came out boldly to tell Nigerians that we are ready for the forthcoming Olympic Games slated for Tokyo, Japan. I cheered momentarily before I called myself to order and told no one in particular that Dare, like his predecessors, has shot himself on the foot by emphatically announcing the readiness of the country for the Olympics. 

Without prevarication, it is not out of place to state that such an announcement will at the end of the day prove to be hoax but since nobody gives an account of his or her stewardship to the people, it may not matter after all.

I took Dare’s assertion with a pinch of salt as one of those ones that have their place in the refuse dump of history. However, Dare’s grandstanding may turn out to become reality assuming the miracle of Daman of Saudi 1989 U- 17 FIFA World Cup replays itself.

Let say here and without any hesitation, that qualification games are ongoing and athletes are qualifying, while some others are falling by the wayside. That is the name of the game and once you prepare well, there is a tendency that there would be likely effect of hauling medals of any colour in first-rate sporting champs like the Olympics.

Nigeria’s preparations for tournaments of any kind have remained a fluke and many times the country has scaled through via luck and has kissed the dust in some occasions. London Olympics and others come to mind.   To be honest with you, Dare wants to make some impressive impact as Sports Minister. Since Atlanta Games, Nigeria under the watchful eyes of Chief Jim Nwobodo made historic history winning gold medal through Kanu Nwankwo led U- 23 Eagles team and Chioma Ajunwa Opara in the Long jump. Mary Onyali- Omagbemi, Failiat Ogunkoya et all hauled other medals to place Nigeria high ever in her history attending Olympics.

That is where Dare’s eyes are fixed and he has not hidden the idea of finding sponsors for athletes. I said here that he is truly working, unlike Solomon Dalung who came and gathered money he would use for his governorship ambition in 2023 in Plateau State. Dare obviously is one the Sports Ministers that is focused to a good extent.

I wish him well for his efforts to reinvent the fortune of Nigeria sports as athletes’ are looking eagerly for better days for them under  Sunday Dare. 

Nigerian Police Games is ongoing in Anambra State and the opening ceremony was superb. One hopes that the Games would live up to its billings and produce athletes that would once again bring back the glory of Nigeria Police Force by pushing it to the front role of sports as before.

One is of the belief that it will be smoothly conducted so its objectives would be met.

We are counting down to the well-publicised Edo National Sports Festival and the host State is not leaving anything to chance. Governor Godwin Obaseki and his team are working round the clock to ensure facilities are in place for the festival which they have described as historic for the people of the State. This is not just because it is an election year in the State but it is one sports gathering that would also indicate the readiness of the State for hitch-free polls, especially in the area security.

The Deputy Governor is the chairman of the Local Organising Committee, while the Executive Chairman of the State Sports Commission, Dudu Orumen, who is well-grounded in the art, is part and parcel of the system. If the line up on paper is anything to go by, then Edo 2020 Sports Festival is on the right track.

Sadly, the player of Remo Stars that was brutally killed by the trigger happy Policeman has been laid to rest. I found it extremely difficult to do something on him last week as the news of his avoidable death came when this page was being prepared to go to bed.

I knew him as one unassuming lad that was down to earth.  I cannot write on as words are already failing me. The only honour to him would be for the trigger happy bastard to be brought to book, no matter that his victim is no more.  The people whose duty it is to ensure justice is done must not fail, as history would judge them harshly for not being sincere. A word is enough for a wise. We don’t want such nonsense anymore. It is cruel cutting off the life of such young person life just like that because of the quest for money by the Police.

As we look forward to better Sports Nigeria, our social media is open. Let’s discuss more on the issues raised in this column and other burning issues. Continue to stay with Daily Sports, your soar away influential and authoritative digital newspaper. Keep shooting hard till next week!!

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 2, 2020

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