Former Handball Chief Praises NSC's Youth Athlete Appreciation Initiative
Victor Onogagamue, the former General Secretary of the Nigeria Handball Association, has expressed strong approval for the Young Athletes Appreciation Initiative currently being implemented by the National Sports Commission (NSC). He described it as a great initiative that is essential for the future of Nigerian sports.
Supporting Young Talents for Long-Term Success
Onogagamue, who also served as Director General of the Delta State Sports Commission, emphasized the importance of carefully nurturing, supporting, and encouraging young athletes after their initial discovery. He noted that the process of guiding these athletes to stardom is typically expensive and rigorous, making initiatives like this crucial for sustainable development.
Let us applaud the good works of the NSC leadership. Nigeria sports will benefit from this great initiative in the long run, he stated, underscoring the potential positive impact on the nation's athletic landscape.
Nationwide Recognition Tour Gains Momentum
The NSC has been actively conducting its Youth Appreciation Tour across various cities in Nigeria, including Lagos, Abeokuta, Uyo, Abuja, and Asaba. This effort has already honored a total of 12 outstanding young athletes, with the recent Abuja leg taking place at the Nigerian Tulip International College.
Key figures in attendance at the Abuja event included Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the NSC; Bukola Olopade, Director General of the NSC; and Sunday Dare, former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, who now serves as Presidential Spokesman.
High-Profile Endorsements and Strategic Vision
Speaking at the event, Sunday Dare expressed satisfaction with the progress in youth sports development. I am excited because what is being done aligns with the universal laws of sowing as we know it – find promising stars early, nurture them, and then the harvest comes, he remarked. Dare highlighted ongoing partnerships with the private sector and credited the NSC leadership for their insight and commitment to sustaining this vision.
NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko reaffirmed that youth and grassroots sports remain central to the Commission's mandate. Youth and grassroots development are at the core of what we do. We want to raise the standards of school sports and ensure that schools at all levels, primary, secondary, and universities, receive the necessary support to discover and nurture athletes in collaboration with the National Sports Commission, Dikko stated.
Strengthening Partnerships and Ensuring Athlete Welfare
Director General Bukola Olopade emphasized the Commission's efforts to strengthen partnerships between schools and the sports ecosystem while prioritizing athlete welfare. He referenced President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's commitment to ensuring that Nigerian athletes never feel abandoned or neglected.
It is part of my responsibility to educate the public about the ongoing Young Athletes Appreciation Initiative. We should acknowledge the positive impact of this gesture, innovation, and initiative, which has motivated many athletes in just two weeks, Olopade said. He clarified that funds are paid directly to schools or parents, not the athletes themselves, following international standard practices. For government school athletes, payments are made to parents due to lower fees.
Honoring Exceptional Junior Athletes
In Abuja, two exceptional junior athletes, Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo and Miracle Oluebube Ezechukwu, were honored. Both athletes first emerged through the Invited Junior Athletes initiative and later represented Nigeria at the CAA African U18/U20 Athletics Championships, where they won gold medals. They continued their success by securing additional medals at the African Youth Games in Angola and the African School Games in Algeria.
Olopade urged journalists to focus on sharing this positive initiative rather than criticizing it, highlighting its role in motivating athletes and fostering a supportive environment for young talents in Nigeria.
