As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. marks his 73rd birthday, National Sports Commission Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko has hailed the President as a blessing to Nigerian sports, in particular, and Nigeria as a whole.
In Mallam Dikko’s opinion, despite the fact that President Tinubu assumed office at a very complicated moment in the nation’s history, his experience has sufficed to renew hope in the polity with his Renewed Hope and shared prosperity agenda.
“Not everyone can do the type of exceptional job that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has done in such a short time. In fact he has taken many bold decisions which though painful at the starting point, are now evidently bringing us to some economic stability and positive future. He took the bold decisions and his experience came in handy to pull them through”, he said.
Mallam Dikko also applauded the President’s bold decisions in sports.
He continued, “It was a bold decision to return the National Sports Commission with the full enabling powers and scrapped the Ministry structure arrangement. Ultimately Mr. President was convinced that this is the way to go to reposition and upscale Nigerian sports and did the needful. Today, we can see the benefits of that decision manifesting.
“He gave us the mandate to harness the potentials and evolve the sports economy. He mandated us to change the way things are done in sports, that we should deemphasize on participation on international competitions which is basically consumption and tilt towards domestic sports development which is basically production and value addition to the economy. He didn’t just stop at the mandate, he is backing us up with all the requisite support, encouragement and enabling environment. Indeed the unprecedented budget for sports targeted at key infrastructure uplifts as well as structured incentives to attract private sector involvement to compliment Government support.
“The President is really a blessing to sports in this country and indeed Nigeria as a whole. It is not every time that you have this type of presidential backing. We are thus leveraging on this solid backing that the sector is getting to take sports to another level.
“Indeed History will be very kind to Mr. President for the bold and intentional decision he is taking to reset and reposition the country across all sectors for a better tomorrow and the positive outcomes are already very evident. As his foot-soldiers we will continue to work tirelessly to deliver his vision and mandate within our sector accordingly!
“On his birthday, we, at the National Sports Commission, wish the President long life and good health and the courage to continue to take the bold decisions needed at this auspicious time of our development. We wish the President many more years in the service to the nation. We badly need his leadership and experience at a time such as this and we pray for a renewed strength to pilot the nation to even greater heights.”
Signed
Kehinde Ajayi (Mrs)FCAI, ANIPR
Director (Information and PR)
NSC
29/3/25
