Sports minister and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo has commended the Super Eagles for exhibiting a never-say-die spirit in the Nations Cup qualifier against Congo in Pointe Noire which earned them the maximum three points on Saturday.
Dr. Danagogo who followed the must-win match on the Social Media in Otukpo, Benue State where he had gone to officially close the 7th National School Sports Festival said the victory has now revived the Eagles hope of qualifying and defending the Nations Cup, said Patrick Omorodion, his Special Assistant on Media in a statement.
“I am elated by the victory of the Eagles in far away Point Noire and I want to commend them for their determination and belief in themselves that they can do it. I had told Nigerians never to lose hope in the team but support them until the very last match.
I want to appeal to Nigerians to come out en masse in the last match in Uyo on Wednesday to cheer the team to victory against South Africa so as to finally seal the qualification and ensure that Nigeria is represented at the Nations Cup,” the minister said.
Meanwhile Dr. Danagogo has called on all local and state governments to support the Federal Governments Transformation Agenda in sports by keying into the grassroot development programme of the National Sports Commission to fish out budding talents scattered in the nooks and crannies of the country.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the National School Sports Festival in Otukpo, the sports minister particularly commended the states that sent their athletes to the annual event. He particularly picked out Cross River, Anambra and Lagos States, which placed first, second and third in the festival respectively for their consistency in grassroot sports development and urged other states to emulate them.
“We at the National Sports Commission have taken it as our duty to discover and nurture young talents to stardom because one of the cardinal points of Mr. President’s Transformation Agenda is taking sports to the grassroots.
That is why I commend the National School Sports Federation for taking the competition out of the state capital and bringing it to Otukpo to ensure that the search for raw talents is taken to the nooks and crannies of the country,” he said.
He commended the Senate President, David Mark who was represented at the final by his wife, Mrs Helen Mark , for his passion and support for sports and described him as a pillar of sports, adding, “If every state has a David Mark, our sports will really develop as more talents will be discovered and nurtured to stardom.”
