By Onochie Anibeze
Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi said yesterday that his ministry which also doubles as the National Sports Commission has now gotten approval for the funding of the Presidential Retreat on Monday and hoped that the event would go on without any hitch.
Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi said yesterday that his ministry which also doubles as the National Sports Commission has now gotten approval for the funding of the Presidential Retreat on Monday and hoped that the event would go on without any hitch.
Some of the invited participants had turned down the invitation because the ministry informed them that they would bear the cost of their attendance.
Pat Ekeji, Mitchel and Abdullahi
President Goodluck Jonathan had announced the retreat last Wednesday while presenting 2013 Budget proposal to the National Assembly. The poor state of sports in Nigeria informed the President’s action. But Adokiye Amasiemaka, one of the invited participants accused the ministry of not wanting the President to succeed by asking participants to shoulder the cost of their participation. After the minister’s aide Julius called our Tony Ubani to complain about the acrimony in Adokiye’s reaction arguing that it was an honour to be invited to a national event, the minister also bared his mind and offered some explanations.
”We are determined to organise a successful retreat,” he began.
”It is the first time that a President of Nigeria is calling for a retreat to address problems in our sports and we all need to lend a hand because the President means well and he is leading the way. We had initial challenges which have now been sorted out. We didn’t have money for the retreat and it would have been difficult to cater for every participant without money. We were constrained when we wrote those letters but the President has now given approval and the accommodation and transportation of the participants will be taken care of. There are even some people coming from abroad.
We are on course. Commissioners of sports and state governors will all be there. I think that it is wrong to be looking back when we need to be going forward. I understand that people have animosity against the past. But this is a new beginning and we must discard the wrongs of the past to move forward and get it right. People should not take things personal when national issues are at stake.”
The minister was taken aback that Mitchel Obi, another veteran sports commentator, had not only withdrawn from the retreat but also castigated the NSC. Obi turned down their invitation with these words: “Thanks for the invitation and the recognition. It is a pity that I I don’t think a one day Presidential sports retreat can make any difference to the decay that is the sports sector. We have seen enough of this gallery play and I can’t fancy myself spending my hard-earned resource to participate in it. Indeed, it is an insult to those participating to be told to cater for their attendance.
Is it the practice in the many retreats that have taken place in this polity? I have been privy to a handful and the sports commission should not belittle our value. Again, I thank all who considered me worthy of this invitation. I have served in Presidential and Ministerial Committees in the past with undiluted diligence and I am at pain to imagine what additional value a retreat will serve. Best deliberation’’.
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