Sports
Tinubu’s Drive for Sports Inspires Reform at NIS – Shaibu
Speaking in Abuja while receiving a delegation that formally presented him with a letter of nomination for an award, Shaibu said the current administration has shown uncommon commitment to repositioning sports as a strategic tool for youth empowerment, national unity, and economic diversification.
According to him, President Tinubu’s interest in sports development goes beyond rhetoric, noting that the National Sports Commission and its agencies are now enjoying improved attention and funding.
“I want to thank Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for consistently showing interest in funding and developing Nigerian sports and using it as a vehicle to empower the youth, unite Nigeria, and diversify the economy,” Shaibu said.
He added that the President has issued a clear directive to restore Nigerian sports to global prominence—a mandate the NIS is determined to fulfil.
The immediate past Deputy Governor of Edo State maintained that his passion for sports is longstanding and not politically motivated.
Reflecting on his tenure overseeing sports in Edo State, he recalled the transformation of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and the development of several mini stadia across the state as deliberate efforts to revive grassroots sports and create accessible platforms for young talents.
“We’re happy that the little we have done is being noticed,” he said, emphasising that sports had always been his first love.
He explained that politics only provided an avenue to confront systemic lapses and promote structured development in the sector.
On his appointment as DG of the NIS, Shaibu acknowledged initial scepticism, especially from those who recalled his past criticisms of Nigeria’s sports administration.
“When I was appointed, I was told I was one of those who criticised the system. They said, ‘Now you have the opportunity; let’s see how you will run it.’ I came and met a wilderness. It was tough at the beginning,” he admitted.
However, he said he chose action over excuses, starting with office renovations to create a conducive working environment rather than waiting for federal allocations.
Addressing claims that the role amounted to a demotion from his former position, Shaibu said public service should be measured by impact, not title. “If the President finds you worthy out of over 200 million Nigerians, who am I to say no? Any position you are called to serve your country is recognition,” he remarked.
He disclosed that upon assuming office, he convened stakeholders and management to interrogate the reasons behind the Institute’s past struggles.
The outcome was a comprehensive 10-year strategic development plan aimed at restoring relevance. “Sports is a business, but if we put money first, we will miss it. If we put ideas and structure first, we will get it right. Nigeria must come before material gains,” he said.
Earlier, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), led by George Aluo, formally presented Shaibu with a letter detailing their decision to honour him.
The groups said the award recognises Shaibu’s resilience, visionary leadership, and bold reforms at the NIS. They cited his stakeholder engagement, strategic direction, and achievements in Edo State—particularly the revitalisation of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and the construction and upgrade of mini stadia—as catalysts for grassroots sports development. They also described his acceptance of the NIS role despite public criticism as an act of humility, patriotism, and commitment to national service.
In response, Shaibu expressed gratitude for the recognition, describing it as encouragement to remain focused on institutional reforms. He reaffirmed that the NIS under his leadership would continue to align with the President’s vision of rebuilding Nigeria’s sporting glory through structure, innovation, and dedication to national interest.
Only Denmark, ranked 21st globally, sits higher among nations that failed to qualify for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
England and Chelsea legend John Terry was among those to voice his disappointment, describing Nigeria as a significant loss to a tournament that features 48 nations for the first time.
“Nigeria will be a big miss. This is a World Cup for participants who haven’t had the opportunity to play in the tournament. I would have loved to see a top team like Nigeria there because they’ve got some great individuals. They’re a great nation,” Terry said during a virtual roundtable session organised by SuperSport.
“I think they are a big miss because Nigeria probably would have gone further in the competition, but unfortunately, one side’s loss is another’s gain,” the former England captain added.
Eric Chelle’s side finished second in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers behind South Africa, who secured automatic qualification. Nigeria kept their hopes alive with a playoff semi-final victory over Gabon before falling to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the decisive playoff final — their second successive absence from the World Cup after also missing the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The Nigeria Football Federation later challenged DR Congo’s qualification, alleging the use of ineligible players during the campaign, but the appeal was dismissed.
Despite missing the World Cup, the Super Eagles remain Africa’s 3rd highest-ranked team behind Morocco, who sit seventh in the world, and Senegal. Algeria and Egypt complete the continent’s top five.
Defending champions Argentina enter the tournament as the world’s top-ranked side, ahead of Spain, France, England and Portugal. Brazil are sixth, followed by Morocco, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
The next FIFA World Ranking will be released on July 20, a day after the World Cup final.
Chima Akachukwu and Miracle Akhigbe are among the 16 notable stars picked by the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) for the forthcoming Namibia Tour, where the YellowGreens will compete in a T20 and 50-Over Tri-Series, featuring hosts Namibia and Hong Kong China.
Both players make their way back into the YellowGreens fold after periods away from the side and will be eager to contribute their experience and quality as Nigeria pursues success in Namibia.
The NCF said yesterday that the squad, which departs Nigeria today, forms part of the national team’s continued preparations for future international assignments as the YellowGreens seek to build on recent performances and strengthen their standing on the global stage.
Leading the squad is Captain Sulaimon Runsewe, who will spearhead Nigeria’s campaign against two formidable opponents in what promises to be a highly competitive series.
The selected squad combines experienced internationals with emerging talents, providing the technical crew an opportunity to assess player development and team combinations in both the T20 and 50-over formats.
The team will be led on tour by Coaches Leke Oyede and Tamuno John, who will oversee preparations and match operations during the opening phase of the series.
Joining the squad later in Namibia will be the newly appointed Head Coach and High Performance Manager, Stephen Magongo, whose arrival marks another significant step in the Federation’s commitment to strengthening the national team structure and enhancing player development pathways.
Supporting the coaching staff are Team Analyst Jamal Okechukwu, Strength and Conditioning Coach Seye Olympio, and Team Physiotherapist Timothy Adesomowo, forming a well-rounded technical crew focused on maximising player performance and welfare throughout the tour.
The NCF views the Namibia Tri-Series as an important platform for the continued growth of the national team, offering valuable international exposure and competitive match experience against quality opposition. The series will provide the players and technical crew with another opportunity to evaluate progress, fine-tune strategies, and build momentum ahead of future international competitions.
The YellowGreens will face Namibia and Hong Kong China in both T20 and 50-over contests, with the matches expected to test the team’s adaptability, discipline, and resilience in challenging conditions.
Blessing Otu on Monday overcame hard-fighting Kelvin Bebe- Emmanuella in two sets of 6-1, 6-3 to qualify for the second round of the women’s singles of the ongoing 47th Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Tennis Championship, held at the Tennis Courts of the package “B” of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Speaking after the round of 32 game, Otu, who will be 19 years old in September, said she capitalised on her opponent’s weaknesses to gain victory, having studied her game very well.
“Bebe is a very good and tough player. But I studied her game and did the job well.
“Although she tried to come back in the second set, I punctured all her tricks to win the match and move on. I wish I could continue like this in the rest of my games,” she said.
Another member of the Otu family, John Out, was also victorious as he defeated Mohammed Abdusalam 2-1 (6-2, 6-7, 6-1) in the men’s singles category to advance into the round of 32.
But the third Otu in the game, Thomas, was not that lucky as he lost by 6-0, 7-5 in two straight sets to Danjuma Isaac.
In other matches, Michael Emmanuel defeated Ibrahim Aminu to advance, while Drimiya Mevi outclassed Seyi Ogunsakin by beating him 2-1 (6-7, 6-3, 6-1). Action continues tomorrow when other top players, including the men’s singles top seed, Abua Cannice, join the chase for honours.