Ex-scribe Crown FC, Debo Awogbade, appointed into NIS governing board NIS
Khalid ABRAHAM
Mr. Gbadebo Ayorinde Awogbade, has been appointed and subsequently sworn-in as member of the National Institute for Sports (NIS).
Awogbade served for years as Secretary of Crown Football Club, Ogbomoso, Oyo state.
He is part of the 13 members of the board sworn-in Wednesday, May 24, by the outgone Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare.
Some others members Barrister Danladi Ibrahim, chairman; Mr. Kunle Solaja, publisher and lead reporter of the authoritative all-sports online newspaper, Sports Village Square; the DG of the NIS, Prof. O. A. Moronkola; Commodore Nesiama Omatseye; Mr. Lawrence Babatunde Aremu; Major General Okpeh Wilson Ali;1 retired AIG Hafiz Inuwa and Lawrence Babatunde Aremu.
Other members are Dr. Fatima Kabir Umar, Mr. Boniface C. Odum, Mr. Salisu Manman Aliyu and acting DCCG Gregory A. Itohoh.
The Sports Minister during the inauguration directed members to improve on the standard of the institute which used to be about the best in the continent.
The Minister also noted that the institute was topmost in Africa for sports administration before it suddenly lost its glory, but expressed optimism that with the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to sports development in the country as well as the appointment of seasoned sports administrators into the new Board, “I believe the Institution will occupy its pride of place in Africa again”
He added that with the recent approval of the National Sports Industry Policy, (NSIP), which provides for private sector participation in sports as a business and not mere recreation, the challenge of funding and other related issues concerning sporting activities in Nigeria, will soon be a thing of the past.
“Your role as a Board is explicit, to move National Institute for Sports in the direction of modernity much beyond the reputation of NIS before now.” Dare said
He informed that though efforts are ongoing to establish the first university of sports in the country, the Institute till then, remains the nation’s sports institution that needs credibility of examination process to ensure its certificate is fully recognised.
Dare stated further that the Ministry has signed a ten-year football masterplan aimed at addressing the fundamental anomalies that have plagued the development of football in the country, for the benefit of a broader strata of the society.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, called on the Board Members to partner with relevant institutions and stakeholders in order to realise the mission and vision of the Institute
He assured that the Ministry will continue to support the Board to ensure it succeeds in the discharge of its mandate
Responding, the Board Chairman, Barr. Danladi Ibrahim thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, the Honourable Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Chief Sunday Dare, as well as top management staff of the administration for the privilege given to them to serve, assuring that they will bring in their wealth of experience to bear in ensuring the realization of the Institute’s mandate.