Dikko advocates SWAN support on NSC’S new direction

Photo: NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko with Gymnast Stephanie Onusiriuka

“We are taking a direction that had never been taken before. It will be strange to many because they are not used to it. We are simply taking the road less traveled by focusing to move from competition-driven (consumption) to a development-driven (production) sports echo-system. Thus You will help us to change the orientation and reset the minds of the sporting faithful”

These were the words of NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko while receiving a delegation of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Abuja chapter, who had come to thank him for his support during the SWAN Week, in particular, and his support over the years.

In response, Dikko advocated for the association’s support in actualizing the lofty goals set by the Commission in line to Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu renewed Hope agenda and shared prosperity vision.

His words, “We are going to have more engagements and roundtable discussions. All stakeholders have to come on board and be on the same page with us and SWAN are the major drivers of this. If we have to change the narrative, a lot depends on the sports writers to let people know this direction we are going.

“You know that when you are going to a place that people are not conversant with, they will ask you ‘where are you going?’. SWAN will help us to point to that way. So see yourselves as our partners in this process. If you see anything you don’t like or need more clarifications, speak to us. Our doors are wide open. Speak to us before going public.”

Dikko used the opportunity to bring the association up to speed with the Commission’s plans as a guide to the ‘new direction’

“This is not business-as-usual. We have got some decent funding provided in the budget for sports activities and projects like never before. This shows the clear direction we are taking and the special support and attention Mr. President is giving to sports.
Before now, you would see a lump sum put under sports without specifics, but this time we are very deliberate about what we want to do and have had funds earmarked for specific purposes. For instance, we have a budget line to take care of our preparation for the Olympics and Commonwealth Games to start in earnest as from 2025 not wait until two weeks to the tournament to start running for intervention funds to participate when the athletes had not been prepared. Yet we expect to compete and win against those that have deliberately prepared for years.

“It had never been this way. The era of late preparation for Olympics is gone. We have to start early and the athletes’ grants should also get to them early. If you give it to them few months to the Olympics or at the Olympics as done in the past, you are only giving them money for tourism”, he said.

He listed further initiatives taken by the Commission to change the sports narrative. 

“We have proposed funding in the budget to complete the athletes hostel and high performance center. This hostel has been like that for years, but when we complete it, it will boost this sports economy we are driving at and save us funds in camping athletes at hotels whilst also attracting more activities to the stadium.
We want to, in the long-term, fully commercialize the MKO Stadium and turn it into a sports city but the preparation starts now. So we have proposed funding in the budget to revive the stadium and bring it to that top standard along with other sporting facilities in the country.

“There is funding proposals in the budget for anti-doping lab. There is only one in Africa (South Africa). Every country must do at least 1500 tests in a year and they go to Europe to do it. When we have our own lab here, it will be a source of revenue in foreign exchange as other countries especially ECOWAS countries will easily patronize us instead of going to Europe. They will be coming here instead of Europe. 

“We have proposals in the budget to acquire capabilities and set up our own production outfit as well as also buy contents from our domestic elite sports for aggregating and monetization . So this will be another revenue generator. We will also collaborate with other relevant agencies like the NBC to activate the NBC Code that has clear provisions towards the protection and promotion of domestic sports such as requirements of any company spending money on foreign sports contents to also spend a sizeable amount on our local sports contents too.

“There is funding proposals in the budget for us to support any team representing the country on the continent. When you win any domestic national competition or tournament not just in football, and earn right to represent Nigeria in the continent, we will take you to Mr. President to have a handshake and photo as sort of motivation, not necessarily money because there is already funding available to support you.
That Presidential handshake will serve as a morale booster and sort of uplifting the sports brand to the shopping widow to attract private sector support.

“We are changing the narrative and we need the media to work with us. All these things mentioned here are as a result of the new direction we are going. I am telling you here so that you know and help us to enlighten the people. Very soon, the results will be there for all to see”, he concluded.

Earlier, the Abuja SWAN chairman Kelechi Onwudiwe had while thanking the chairman for his support thus far, pledged the association’s cooperation in achieving the gargantuan task set before the Commission by the president.

“This didn’t start today. You have been our friend and strong ally for decades and you demonstrated that during this SWAN Week. You really made it so comfortable for us.
“All we can assure you is that whatever you need to succeed, if it is in our hands, we will give it to you”, he said.