Depend Less On Miracle For Success …Minister Tells Nigerians

Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi has urged Nigerians to depend less on miracles for success in sports.

Presenting an overview of the Nigerian sports sector at the Presidential Sports Sector Retreat early in the week in Abuja, the minister said it was time for concerted efforts to engender growth in the sector.

The minister, who commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s efforts at revamping sports, said the crisis engendered by Nigeria’s poor outing at the 2012 London Olympics had demanded urgent action.

“I really commend President Jonathan for this brave act of leadership in trying to find a lasting solution to this problem.

“Though we have had many sports retreats before,  this is the first by a Nigerian president, and it shows Jonathan’s commitment to the cause.

“He has demonstrated the will to reform the sector, and this will thus mark the beginning of a long but steady march to greatness.

“But it won’t happen overnight. There is no magic to it, except concerted efforts by all concerned.

“We have to move away from our usual reliance on miracles and prayers to succeed as it is now evident that we can no longer rely on miracles and our athletes’ raw talents,’’ he said.

Abdullahi said it was time Nigerian sports managers shifted gear in their quest for sports honours since the country had not lived up to its huge potential.

“At the Olympic Games, Kenya has so far won 25 gold medals, South Africa 23 and Ethiopia 21, while Nigeria has won only three to be the best only in West Africa.

“But we don’t want to be West African kings. We want to be world beaters; and to do this, we have to start relying on methods and not miracles and prayers,’’ he said.

The minister said the task of achieving success depended not only on government but also all sports stakeholders.

He said the journey must first start from the National Sports Commission (NSC) which he said needed to brace up to the challenges, do a self-appraisal and listen to home-truths.

Abdullahi said the National Assembly also needed to do its part by expediting action on the passage of the NSC bill as about 90 per cent of the commission’s workers are administrative staff.