Peace in Nigerian sports – Going back to the future

The Super Eagles set for their international friendly match against Mexico

Nigerians are tired and frustrated with the unending crisis in some national Sports Federations. The particular case of the Nigeria Basketball Federation has compounded the situation as the Ministry of Youth and Sports, frustrated by the endless crisis, took a desperate decision that appears to have added salt to the injury. are tired and frustrated with the unending crisis in some national Sports Federations. The particular case of the Nigeria Basketball Federation has compounded the situation as the Ministry of Youth and Sports, frustrated by the endless crisis, took a desperate decision that appears to have added salt to the injury.

The crises in some national sports federations are not new. They were inherited by the current Sports Minister, Chief Sunday Dare, and have existed for at least 4 generations of ministers before him. He is only now being called upon to nurse back to health what have become very sick ‘babies’.

It is not an easy task to accomplish because the virus of abnormalities introduced at a time in past have become into cancers, and the new normal. The simple processes in sports associations (federations) at the birth of modern sports administration in Nigeria, have been smudged and obscured by inadequate advice of the dwindling pool of experienced and knowledgeable administrators on what needs to be done to connect the roots of the past with the state of affairs of the present, and serve as a compass into the future.

Without being disrespectful to those presently advising the sports ministry, there is a clear disconnect with history in some of the Ministry’s decisions. Without going back to the genesis of the crisis, a step that