AFN commends President Tinubu over return of NSC, appointment of Dikko as Chairman
By Tosin Omojola
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has praised the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for reintroducing the National Sports Commission (NSC) as the primary vehicle to drive the development and growth of sports in the country.
The President of the AFN, Chief Tonobok Okowa, in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, thanked President Tinubu for making this bold, decisive, and forward-looking decision to bring back the National Sports Commission, whose history of success in sports development dates back to pre-independence years.
“My President, the sporting fraternity in Nigeria and the rest of the world will forever remember this bold statement you have made with the National Sports Commission for good, and Nigerian sports will surely flourish in leaps and bounds in the years to come,” Chief Okowa said.
The AFN boss, a seasoned sports administrator, sincerely believes that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will provide the much-needed financial support and create the conducive environment for the Sports Commission to operate effectively.
“The President means well for the youths of this great country; that explains why he brought back the NSC and appointed a sports technocrat to add momentum to sports. Youths are the backbone of any economy, and President Tinubu is doing just that with these moves,” the Delta State-born Vice President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) stressed.
Okowa, who is also the President of Confederation of African Athletics Zone II, went on to commend the President’s choice of Mallam Shehu Dikko to lead Nigeria’s sports to global prominence and make it a model for all.
“Shehu Dikko, a consummate sports administrator, is a round peg in a round hole, and his appointment is fitting. Dikko will bring fresh thinking and energy to sports development in Nigeria. His vast knowledge and experience will help put Nigerian sports back on track,” the former chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission stated.
“We will get it right with the National Sports Commission under the leadership of Mallam Shehu Dikko, and we at the AFN and CAA Zone II are ready and willing to support this laudable initiative aimed at shaping a thriving sporting landscape,” Chief Tonobok Okowa concluded.
