The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Mr. Adeyinka Adeboye, has emphasized the urgent need for strategic collaboration to strengthen grassroots sports across Nigeria.
Speaking with journalists shortly after a closed-door meeting with the Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), His Excellency Comrade Philip Shaibu, Adeboye noted that meaningful progress in the sector can only be achieved through partnerships with key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Federation of Grassroots Sports (NFGS).
According to him, grassroots sports development remains the foundation for national sporting success, stressing that without deliberate investment and collaboration, efforts to build a sustainable sports system may continue to face setbacks.
“It is important to partner with NFGS and other relevant grassroots sports bodies because without them, it might still be difficult to get real grassroots sports working. Grassroots sports is very key and we must develop it. We must also bring in experts to help drive the process. I trust the ideas presented by NFGS,” he said.
” We are going to invite Grassroots Sports experts across the country for a National Grassroots Sports Development Summit soon.The Summit is aimed at discussing and developing strategies for promoting Grassroots Sports Development in Nigeria”
Adeboye disclosed that plans had been underway to organize grassroots tennis development programmes, but these were temporarily suspended due to the election period. He, however, revealed that a new comprehensive grassroots sports programme has already been submitted and is currently awaiting presidential approval.
“We are going to invite grassroots sports experts from across the world. The aim is to lecture and properly orientate grassroots sports development in Nigeria,” he added.
The presidential aide commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing experienced and knowledgeable individuals into key sports positions, noting that such appointments demonstrate the administration’s commitment to revitalizing the sector.
“You can see what the President has done by appointing experts, Shehu Dikko, Olopade, and a respected comrade in sports, a former two-term House of Assembly member, House of Representatives member, and former Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, as well as myself as a sports administrator.
With all these people, I believe we can do a lot to improve sports,” Adeboye stated.
He added that his meeting with Shaibu was aimed at leveraging the latter’s experience to further enhance sports development in the country.
“I have great respect for His Excellency Comrade Philip Shaibu. I have known him for over 25 years. The NIS is very key, and I trust in his experience. I will always seek his advice and work with him,” he said.
Adeboye maintained that the current leadership must deliver results, noting that failure would reflect on all stakeholders involved.
“If the sports system fails with all these names I mentioned, it means all of us have failed. The President has given us all the necessary support, and it shows that we must work hard to get it right,” he said.
While urging Nigerians to remain patient, Adeboye expressed optimism that the country is on the right path to reclaiming its position as a global sporting force.
“My advice to Nigerians is to be patient with Mr. President’s vision for sports. Nigeria will surely rise to the top in global sports. We are already a giant in Africa. Our basketball, boxing teams and others are doing very well, which shows progress. The President has supported us in every way, and he is committed to giving Nigeria nothing but the best in sports development,” he concluded.