Amid ‘plenty,’ Nigeria gasps for seasoned sports managers

With some sports administrators of Nigerian origin doing great things across the world and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best in the world, many are in awe that the country’s sports are still dogged by poor administration. CHRISTIAN OKPARA writes that poor recruitment system, corruption, and politics are among the problems hampering sports administration in the country.

Nigeria is a country blessed with enormous human and material resources. That explains why there are many Nigerians excelling in different spheres of human endeavour in almost every major country of the world.

Some of these professionals can be seen even in sectors not commonly associated with Nigeria.
Early this year, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia appointed Nigeria’s Enefiok Udo-Obong, as the head of its new Athletics Development Programme. The implication is that Udo-Obong, whose first official duty was to study the Kingdom’s athletes at the recent Paris 2024 Olympic Games, has the responsibility of overseeing and spearheading a revolution in Saudi Arabia’s athletics, which is expected to yield world-class stars for the Middle East country.

Specifically, Udo-Obong, like Innocent Egbunike, who for many years plied his trade in many Gulf countries, is expected to ensure that Saudi Arabia produces athletes who will compete for medals at the Los Angeles 2026 Olympic Games.

It is a multi-million dollar programme, which saw athletics coaches and managers from different parts of the world vying for the position that was eventually won by the Sydney 2000 Olympics gold medallist.

Before Udo-Obong moved to Saudi Arabia, another Nigerian, Michael Emenalo, a former Enyimba, Enugu Rangers, and Super Eagles star, won the task of producing the most