By Andrew Abah, Abuja
Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has welcomed back sportsmen and women from the 13th African Games held in Accra, Ghana, on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said, “I welcome you back to our dear country. I congratulate you for your outstanding performance in the just concluded 13th African Games that held in the Republic of Ghana.
For two weeks, fifty-two countries fiercely contested for honours in twenty-nine sports; dwelling in the most competitive manner to win laurels for their countries and Nigeria was involved in twenty five of those.
From our world class athletes who burnt the tracks and triumphed, to our dazzling wrestlers, boxers, weightlifters, and indeed other deserving sportsmen and women who were in imperial form, the indomitable Nigerian spirit was on full display, leaving behind whatever pre games inadequacies. The nation is thankful for the hardwork and sacrifice of your individual and collective efforts.
For the duration of the games, not just Africa, but also the World witnessed the full demonstration of the unyielding spirit of the African continent and you were at the centre of all the developments and more than underscored the great Nigerian possibility and what it portends for Africa and the world.
Your dazzling performance and brilliance, propelling our country to a second place finish having won forty seven gold medals , thirty three silver medals and fourty one bronze medals, making a total of one hundred and twenty one medals, out of the 52 competing countries at the end of the games is no mean feat.
This indeed is an unforgettable testament for which the government of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians will remain proud of. Thank you great athletes for showcasing the Nigerian strength, resilience and excellence.
Our sports loving President and the vast majority of Nigerians warmly felicitate you for your gallantry and achievements for putting the country on the firm pedestal as a leading sports powerhouse on the continent of Africa.
While you bask in the euphoria of your exploits and worthy sense of achievement, let me quickly remind you that preparations for the 14th African Games built to hold in Egypt starts now. As your Sports Development Minister, dubbed, Nigeria’s GamesMaster General, I sure will be with you all the way.
Without prejudice to the comprehensive audit and thorough evaluation of our overall performance at the games which will soon be carried out under my guidance and leadership, the time has come for our country to spend as much, if not more, as it does for COMPETITIONS in DEVELOPMENT and PREPARATION, if we ever hope to get atop the medals table which we have only achieved once in 2003 when the country hosted the Games.
Efforts will be made to continue to consolidate on those sports we have earned the greatest laurels while also interrogating the ones, as a country we are naturally endowed but which we continue to perform poorly,such as swimming. This is the only way we can blunt the gap between us and our main rival as we envision and implement a masterplan that will propel us to the sporting summit on the continent.
For the meantime, the challenge of the Ministry is to work out a sustainable package of incentives that will continue to put the welfare condition of our sportsmen and women at the forefront.
Thank you once more our gallant heroes and heroines as I welcome you back.
