A renowned international sports consultant, Tunde Adelakun has commended the National Sports Commission (NSC) for keeping its pledge to start and run a National Youth Games this year.
An excited Adelakun, therefore, called on all stakeholders in sports, and custodians of Nigeria’s youth talent, to make the most of the steps being taken by the present administration and ensure that the results show in the not-too-distant future.
“The Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi repeatedly stated that his focus will be on the youth, and that he wants to do something that would ensure the future development of sports in Nigeria – aiming towards credible showings in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
“It is a credit to the Minister and his team that they have seen this to fruition,” he said.
The maiden National Youth Games will kick-off in Abuja at the weekend with arrival of athletes and officials slated for Friday, December 6.
The aim is to unearth genuinely young talent that can be nurtured to stardom over time. The focus of the games is not to award medals but rather to discover potential talent – another move lauded by Adelakun.
He stated further, “In reality, we need to cut down on the need to lure our youngsters into competition at this stage, and allow them to take their time in realizing their full potential, and this is something I know the Sports Ministry is committed to”.
UK-based Adelakun, who is also in charge of a movement aiming to discover talent of African descent in the Diaspora, noted that “sports results can no longer be attained in one or two years of preparation, and the right steps need to be taken to nurture youngsters with the right mentality, the right diet and the right exercise routine for years, for them to be able to compete with the best in the world”.
He then enjoined schools, youth clubs and state governments who have sent the youngsters to Abuja for the festival to see it as more than a jamboree for the youth.
“We should be seeing the emergence of boys and girls whose names will be up there in history books in post-2016 and post-2020 Olympics, and we want to be able to write things that relate to the fact that their journeys started here, at the youth games in Abuja”, the Board member of the National Academicals Sports Commission concluded.
