Sports
We Are Rebuilding New Generation Of Athletes, Says Minister
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, has assured that the ministry is set to produce a new generation of athletes, who will rule the world of athletics soonest.
Speaking at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja where he received the U-20 athletics team, which came third at the just concluded World Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, he said: “These young athletes have done the country proud. They have not only made a statement of intent to rule the world, but have made it emphatically clear that we are rebuilding a new generation of athletes.
“These young ones are brilliant stars and the country will embrace, support, nurture and unleash them to the world at the Paris 2024 Olympics and several other up-coming championships.
“Yesterday, Mr. President congratulated them heartily for the feat they achieved as the third best team at the championships amongst 116 countries. When you look at the history of this championships in the last 13 years, this is the first time we have attained this feat.”
He stated further: “The Usain Bolts of this world emerged from this championships. So, we are going to keep these young ones together. We see a better future, a new trajectory for athletics in our country. We will nurture them and the future is bright for athletics in our country.”
At a reception organised for the athletes attended by the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar-Farouk; Minister of State for Education, Chief Emeka Nwajiuba and Special Assistant to the President on Sports, Daniel Amokachi, Umar-Farouk said the athletes had made Nigeria proud, promising to key them into the programmes of her ministry.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.