No ‘small sports’ in Nigeria, says NSC Chairman Dikko

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, has reiterated the commission’s resolve to provide equal opportunities for all sports to thrive in Nigeria.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Mallam Salihu Abubakar, Dikko made the remarks while receiving a delegation of the Japan African Baseball and Softball Foundation (J-ABS), led by its President, Mr. Shinja Tomonari, and accompanied by the President of the Nigeria Baseball and Softball Federation (NBSF), Mr. Uche Odozor.

He highlighted the immense potential in baseball as a sport capable of bringing glory to Nigeria. “We have seen the potential in baseball and that is why we attend to the NBSF President’s requests speedily. With a population of over 250 million, Nigeria has enormous talents that can be harvested in baseball. The sport thrives on strength and dignity, which are abundant in Nigeria,” he said.

Dikko further stressed that Nigeria has the best reservoir of talents in Africa and should be a top-rated country in the sport. Beyond participation, he noted that baseball also has strong economic prospects, describing it as a potential revenue earner for the country.

He linked the initiative to the Tinubu administration’s mandate to harness the potentials of the sports economy, adding that the NSC is working to ensure sports contribute at least three percent to Nigeria’s GDP. “Baseball will help us create sports jobs that will enable us to realize this mandate,” he said.

The NSC chairman assured all sporting federations of equal treatment. “In this dispensation, there is nothing called small sports. Every sport will get equal opportunity to flourish. Mr. President buttressed this when he gave the same $100,000 reward to both the women’s football team and the basketball team. In our eyes, all sports are equal,” he added.

In his remarks, Mr. Odozor thanked the NSC chairman for reintroducing baseball and softball into the National Youth Games and for helping the federation regain ownership of the Baseball Park at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium. He expressed confidence that with such support, baseball would take its pride of place in Nigerian sports.

Mr. Tomonari explained that the J-ABS delegation’s visit was part of preparations for the JICA Grassroots Technical Cooperation Project, which aims to provide technical support for baseball coaches and promote the sport at the grassroots level in Nigeria.