Leadership (Abuja)
28 December 2008
Service chiefs of the Nigerian armed forces and heads of para-military agencies have advocated for the establishment of a special sports council to coordinate and regulate all the sporting activities and programmes in the country to be supervised by the National Sports Commission.
The call is a fall-out of a parley the military/para-military hierarchy had with the director-general of the National Sports Commission which was centred on the sensitisation of the security institutions to organise intra-service games, so as to reap the full benefit of sports and exercise.
NSC director general, Dr. Patrick Ekeji had met with the service chiefs last week on the need to initiate the process of having military/para-military games and avoid collision with NSC organised events such as the National Sports Festival.
Speaking at the meeting, the representative of the Nigeria Immigration Service said the establishment of the Special Sports Council is imperative, considering the problem the military/para-military face in the development of sports.
"We have always been told that sports is not our primary responsibility and this has been responsible for the non-provision for it in the budget. But at the same time one cannot undermine the contributions of the military/para-military to sports in the country. If there is a council that will help facilitate the funds needed by these agencies, it will be better for the security services and the country. We need budget for the athletes. The NSC should guide us in this direction. They should help by writing to our organization so that funds for sports are budgetted for. If the funds for sports are provided for in the budget we can move sports forward. NIS is known for volley ball, but we have never represented the country outside Nigeria just because there are no funds".
Police representative at the meeting, CP Abiola Odion said the police is prepared to give every support to the decision arrived at, noting that the Nigerian Police Force has contributed to Nigerian sports. He named Chioma Ajunwa, Samuel Peter, and Kikelomo Ajayi who have won medals for Nigeria as products of the police.
"The NSC said in the past that the police has nothing to do with sports and that was why they were removed from the board of NFF. The military and para-military games is a welcome development and this year, the West African Police games will hold in February 2009 in Abuja".
The Nigerian Prison Service opined that the military and para-military have been involved in sports but that the NSC has not been carrying them along.
"NPS is happy that people who love and understand sports are being placed in the position to develop sports. Thank God you are bringing us back again. Let me tell you that the prison games is coming up soon. We have made presentations to the comptroller of prisons and we are awaiting his approval. We are looking forward to public/private sponsorship of sports".
Also the Nigerian Navy, SM Bello advised the NSC to meet with the Naval Chief on the role of the military in sports development. "Our problem has been that we are too rigid in our job. We need the NSC to talk to our people for support. The 2009 Navy Games comes up in Makurdi in April and we will get the commission involved".
For the Nigerian Air Force, it wants the NSC to put up a mechanism that will harmonise all the sporting activities in the country.
The Air Force is the only security out fit that has a football club in the national division one league (NAFFC) and the Chief of Air Staff Golf tournament. So, we will work with the NSC to ensure that all sporting events are regulated".
However, the NSC's director general, Patrick Ekeji said the security games would be re-focused and repackaged to attract sponsorship.
"NSC will look at the possibility of a sports council for the military/para-military. It is now the duty of the NSC not only to bring the games back to life, but to institutionalise it so that value can be added to it by way of sponsorship. The minister will visit all the service chiefs to discuss the way forward for sports in detail".
The next meeting is expected to hold in Kaduna next year during the National Sports Festival in February 2009.
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