Former National Basketball Coach, Alabi Adelanwa and a one-time union leader of the Ogun State Sports Council, Comrade Olusegun Ojeleye have thrown their weight behind the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in the state, asking Governor Dapo Abiodun to immediately sign into laws, the two bills establishing the State Sports Commission and Sports Trust Fund.
SWAN had in its October Congress at the MKO Abiola International Stadium Kuto in Abeokuta, the state capital, called on the governor to sign the two bills, to fastrack development of sports in the state.
Pa Adelanwa, in a chat with Edu-Biznews in Abeokuta on Thursday, said that the governor would be writing his name in gold, by signing the two bills into laws, to revive the sports sector in the state.
The veteran coach urged the governor to sign the bills before the next National Sports Festival slated for Benin city, the Edo State capital, saying" the State Sports Commission and Sports Trust Fund is the way to go for the development of sports in the state".
The highly respected coach who discovered the likes of NBA legend Akeem Olajuwon, explained that having Sports Commission in replacement for the Sports Council would ensure efficiency in the running of sports and create opportunities for the state to discover raw talents to be natured to stardom .
According to him, establishment of the State Sports Commission will make the state compete favourably with Lagos and other states who are doing well in sports under the Sports Commission structure.
"The State Sports Commission will ensure only technocrats are appointed as admnistrators by the governor to run various sporting associations, to entrust public confident in the government and attract the needed fund from the organized private sector through the State Sports Trust Fund for preparation of athletes for major national and international competitions."he explained.
He added that only the State Sports Commission would ensure judicious utilization of financial resources by the corporate companies in sports.
Also reinforcing the position, Comrade Olusegun Ojeleye who championed the need for the establishment of the State Sports Commission in 2007, during the former governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel's administration, said that the commission would remove the usual beurocracy associated with the present structure of the State Sports Council which is making running of sports ineffective.
He lauded Governor Dapo Abiodun for initiating the State Sports Commission bill, adding that only the signing of both Sport Commission and Sports Trust Fund bills by the governor would ensure utilization of enormous potential inherit in sports in the state.
Sports potentials according to him," is grossly under utilized in Nigeria, because there are not enough competitions to discover and expose athletes for major sporting events like the Olympics."
He strongly canvassed for structural changes in the running of sports, insisting that" sports sector should be seen by government as serious business capable of creating enough jobs for the talented Nigerian youths who are restive "
Ojeleye recalling his days as a former Basketball player , said that there was enough insensitive to discover and encourage young and talented athletes in those days to train and participate in major competitions for the needed exposure.
He stressed the need for government in the country to create enabling environment for sports to thrive by ensuring creation of sports commision to attract corporate organizations to provide the needed financial support and leverage on the popularity of stars produced by various sports.
The seasoned sports administrator blamed the inability of Nigeria to produce another individual gold medalist like Chioma Ajunwa in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic in the United States, to the present structure of running sports which is very weak to ensure regular competitions to nuture and prepare athletes.
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