By Daily Sports on January 1, 1970

Nigeria has continued her steady slide to anarchy, forget about the numerous charades by the Presidency and APC, Nigeria is fast going under, it is obvious that Buhari Presidency has no capacity for the mess he has plunged the nation into by his divisive actions.

It has rubbed off offensively and badly and heavily on all facets in the country and there is no sector that is spared in this context. For instance in sports nothing is at ease any longer coupled with the kind of young man that was appointed to oversee the Sports Ministry, Sunday Dare.

Truth is that Sunday Dare has proved so far as a monumental failure as Sports Minister. Since he was appointed as one nothing has changed compared to when his immediate past lame duck Sports Minister was there. Except people benefitting from Dare are clapping for him, otherwise he has done nothing than causing one problem or the other in national sports federations.

We have seen what is happening all over, is it football, athletics, Basketball etc and at the end of the day you will see the under hand of Sunday Dare brewing all these. He is busy acquiring and collecting left, right and centre leaving burning issues unattended to. The problems he met on ground are getting worse everyday.

The worst thing on Sunday Dare’s misrule of Nigerian sports is that many that eat from him are bent polishing his image making it look as if anything is happening better for sports in the country. As we discussed in this column last week, 2020 Tokyo Olympic Gaket.me in Japan ought not to be participated bearing in mind the obvious shortcoming of not having quality athletes that would compete solidly amongst the World’s bests which the Olympic Games represents. Great and keen watchers of the Games over the years posited that Nigeria haven come from a long way on her search for sporting honours in this platform ought not to just be participating but matured enough to decisively compete for medals and getting them too.

But today, the centre is not holding in even the traditional sports Nigeria once held sway in the past. Dare came in and continued with the same way his immediate past colleague. Instead of putting his eyes on ground to get the truth on the happenings in sports ministry he chose the inglorious part of listening to hear say and other idlers hence what is happening today in sports in the country.

It is terrible how Sunday Dare has turned everything upside down today. Football which some people would readily say that is doing well is also in shambles. Sunday Dare like his predecessors is a football Minister. Like everything Nigeria sports are not spared. Those in charge of every sport are doing whatever that will enrich their packets so as to live better life after serving as sports administrator.

If feelers are anything to go bye Dare will be vying for Governor in Oyo State and he needs the whole money he can grab in order to finance and also face squarely the equally deep pockets that would be in the race to grab APC ticket.

It is one of the major reasons why sports again are in  shambles existing only on paper while Sunday Dare is spending on selective media to be dishing out lies the opposition of the real situation on ground. For football Amaju Pinnick of NFF and his follow executive committee members they have been boxed to a corner by the overzealous Buhari’s government officials that cornered the football apex body supremo with papers that ensured negotiations were reached to avoid third ear from hearing it and the officers from the Ministry of Justice smiled and the former was told to go home and sin more.

Such has been the lot of all segments’ in the present Nigeria. So much hypocrites parading as social crusaders critical and sundry yet at the slightest exchange of pleasantries they succumbed easily all for what the stomach will and the pressure to ensure that the children will not suffer in a polity that worships money and fame like no other.

Presently there is nothing anybody can do about this fast eating deep rot in the polity. The present Buhari/APC regime encourages such the money and has no apologies for whatsoever. However few of us would continue to gently knock and shout voices hoarse as the situation has reached that level that right things must be done no matter whose ox is gored.

Unfortunately, this is one government that has no regard to the voice of the people. What Buhari has not changed from is running a sharply divided government that favour one session of the country. This government has been kill joy of late and so sports can never thrive in such atmosphere. The situation is grave and the government of the day has sadly developed the deaf and dumb stance which is an ill wind that would blow nobody any good.

As Nigeria joins the rest of the World to hoist her flag in far away Japan, one hopes that the athletes and their official will comport themselves to the global best practices of completing gamely win or lose.

Other sports men and women back here must not be dampened but keep the spirit up as there is always tomorrow. Head or tail sports have been necked again in the public square by Sunday Dare. Sports got real bashing by the immediate past Sports Minister and yet no respite for it presently.

Let us put our fingers crossed and believe that one day one with vision on how to administer and develop sports in all its ramifications would come on stream to take up and place Nigerian sports on the part of growth.

Keep shooting hard till next week as the struggle continues!!

Source Daily Sports

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