Dikko, Olopade, Dalhatu To Grace Nigeria Diaspora Talents Development Trials In London

All is set for the first-of-it’s-kind festival of sporting talents of Nigerian descent in the diaspora. The event billed for Hertfordshire Sports Village, a complete sports facility in the University of Hertfordshire United Kingdom, on July 17, is already attracting rave previews with National Sports Commission Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko, Director-General Hon. Bukola Olopade and the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Ambassador Amin Dalhatu slated to attend.

The Nigeria Diaspora Talents Development Committee set up by the National Sports Commission will be hosting this multi-sport event, which will draw a host of sports stars, feature exhibition games and showcase Nigeria at the global stage.

Starting from 9am on the day, athletes drawn from a diverse mix of sports will start to converge at the de Havilland campus of the University, to register and participate in the sports they want to be involved in.

Chairman of the Committee Dr. Tunde Adelakun is already elated at the prospects of the event.

His words, “We have drawn a pool of talents of Nigerian descent across various sports and this will afford us the opportunity to assess them and pick a Team Nigeria Diaspora to showcase at the National Intermediate Games in October.

The National Sports Commission must be commended for this novel gesture that will help us checkmate the spate of Nigerian talents lost to other nations.

“We have elected to identify them at this early stage so that we can be involved in their development. This should complement the aggressive grassroots sports development being carried out by the Commission back home.

We shouldn’t be losing the likes of Bukayo Saka, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze. There are many such athletes of Nigerian descent in the diaspora. Enough is enough. We have to sow so that we can reap tomorrow.”

He continued, “These athletes will be met by the custodians of sports in Nigeria, the people leading the charge for Nigeria to become the force that its talents and potential deserve . The presence of National Sports Commission Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and the Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade is further testament to their commitment to drive the government’s desire to use sports as a perfect and veritable tool for renewed hope for the Nigerian people.

The Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Amb. Dalhatu will be on ground to welcome our guests.

“The event is strictly on invitation. Members of the Committee have carefully selected athletes to attend and come and align with the Nigerian spirit, to show how welcoming Nigeria is to their talents and how supportive Nigeria can be to their cause in their attempt to attain global excellence and visibility in their careers.”

Headline events on the day will see exhibition matches for the netball national team all drafted from the diaspora, playing against Pakistan.

There will also be a basketball exhibition driven by ex-Olympian,and five-time African champion with D’Tigresses Dr. Sarah Ogoke, who is also a vice-chairman of the Committee.

The Committee has also slated a taekwondo exhibition while the golf exhibition will be chaired and tutored by the only Nigerian woman on the Women’s PGA golf circuit, Georgia Oboh.

Table tennis will also be on display with seven-time Olympian Funke Oshonaike on hand to guide and provide mentorship.

Former Super Eagles stars Seyi Olofinjana and Carl Ikeme, both of English Premier League pedigree, will deliver football drills and give national team selector Eric Chelle some pleasant selection headaches to contend with, as the Committee continues to unearth talents of Nigerian origin in football in the men’s and women’s categories.

Adelakun concludes, “Friday 17 July, barely a week to the commencement of the Commonwealth Games which holds a lot of hope for Nigeria, will be a day to be remembered as the day we go officially intentional in our quest to bring glory days to Nigeria on the fields, on the tracks and on the courts, using what is undisputably ours; our youngsters of Nigerian origin, all over the world”.