An Open Letter To President Buhari On Sports

We congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his installation as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and may your reign bring peace, stability, tranquility and progress to the nation.

But, as addressed in your speech, you mentioned a lot of issues which your administration proposed to tackle head-on and bring lasting solutions to- both on the short and long term basis to the advantage of Nigerians.

We are indeed happy and expectant, with your immeasurable experience in the military and as a Former Head of State, we are hoping and praying these will guide you in the daunting task ahead.


Sir, we would like to draw your attention to an issue of concern which you seem to have escaped, and that's the issue of Sports.

Over the years, Sports and its development in Nigeria has suffered under the leadership of incompetent administrators; so much that if we take a one-step progress this year, definitely we'll retrogress the following. Sports indeed in Nigeria has crashed and it need a fast repair.
This singular issue has a lot of undertone due to the number of departments which fall under the minister, but left attended to because of the focus on one sport at the detriment of other interesting Sports.

Taking a cue from the so much attention Nigeria gives to football, as regards other sports, like, swimming, hockey, handball and the likes.

Again, we will align this to tackling corruption that you addressed while delivering your speech, sports in Nigeria lacks transparency and accountability and it is killing the entire sector.

Every year, Sports ministry is allocated some certain amount of money but at the end of that year, no one knows how these funds were disbursed, the funds which belongs to the Taxpayers.

If I may recall, the office of the former NFF secretary, Musa Amadu got burnt, he resigned after the national assembly summoned him to come give an account of his team's activities and since then, no one has said anything about it.

Does it mean that he saved his face by resigning from his position so that charges against him could be dropped. So much unanswered questions.

Finally Mr. President, we understand that the post of a sports minister is by appointment and not by merit, and this has given mediocre chance to act without vision and mission.

We can only pray that the people whom you will appoint to handle our sports in Nigeria will have developmental mind towards sport in the nation.

Finally, we want to part by urging you to appoint the people who will help drive our Sports forward, those with genuine interest as yours and those who will see Sports as a job creation avenue and a revenue Generator.

May your reign bring trophies to the nation even as the Flying Eagles and the Super Falcons are out there taking on the world.