Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo has charged the Technical Committee on Nigerian Sports Data Base and Hall of Fame to maintain reference records of sports matters and institute a benefiting hall of fame for those who have excelled in every sporting activities.
While inaugurating a 10-man Committee in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister said “the aim of setting up a data base for Nigeria’s sportsmen and women in various categories of sports, sports marketing, administration as well as sports journalism is to ensure that we immortalise them.”
Danagogo noted that any organisation, country or system that does not recognise those who have excelled was bound to collapse; hence, there was need for the country to encourage aspiring sportsmen and women to the pinnacle of success through identifying those that have won medals in various sports.
He decried the paucity of records in different fields and expressed belief that by establishing a committee that will source, maintain and manage data base, it will make retrieval of athletes records that participated in previous sports activities easier.
“Members of the Committee are men and women who have excelled on their own; they are veteran sportsmen, marketers and sports journalists” he said.
The Committee is chaired by Idah Peterside and Mrs. Hauwa-Kulu Akinyemi as the Co-ordinator.
In his welcome address, the Director General, National Sports Commission, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye said the purpose of establishing the committee is to create a data base for sportsmen/women both serving and retired, their present location and state of health. The aim is to institutionalise a monument to serve Nigerian sports heroes.
In his acceptance speech, Idah Peterside lauded the federal government for the initiative and pledged the commitment of members to deliver on the mandate given to it.
