New Sports Minister Needs Conducive Atmosphere To Succeed
As the new Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare, settles down to the task at hand, a Communication expert and Sports enthusiast, Magnus Oku says it is too early for stakeholders in the nation’s sports sector to engage in unnecessary partisan politics and sycophancy.
According to him, the Minister should be allowed to work for the overall good youth development and sports growth in the country, instead of being dragged into needless controversies of last events and happenings in the sector.
For Oku, all well meaning Nigerians and Sports stakeholders should be interested in pointing the Minister to things that needs his urgent attention for improvement as well as the good legacies that must be developed and built upon.
Reacting to a recent publication by one of Nigeria’s football legends, Segun Odegbami, the Abuja-based Communication expert said it is unfair to start an early politicking that is likely to distract the Minister from his set goals.
Oku said it is quite worrying that a respected Elder like Odegbami is taking sides on issues of Nation building by giving sycophantic praises to the new Sports Minister, who is still struggling to comprehend the challenges of his new office in order to drive the process towards engendering laudable achievements during his tenure.
“Praises should follow hard work. We know that Dare has good plans, but to start singing his praise this early is alarming Sir! Just allow him to work. Do your part and you will be noticed in due coarse”, Oku said
Taking a swipe at Odegbami for his perceived flattery comments on Sunday Dare, Oku stated that; “I dare to say sir that your statements comes with flash lights and does not carry the decorum and aura of an experienced man. Your criticisms of the past Minister is unbalanced; one sided and manipulative. I am so compelled to believe that Odegbami is seeking attention but too early.”
Oku further said that it is important that “Sunday Dare, the new Sports Minister, be careful to know that praise singing by persons like Odegbami is such that, no sooner than one has left office, you see the same people that used to sing praises to you, turning around to pour abuses and complain of what you never did”, adding that, “It is wrong for a renowned sports leader to compromise his self-esteem and respect for cheap applause.”
“I feel disappointed by Odegbami’s demeaning comments towards the former Sports minister, Solomon Dalung and I am compelled to ask if a supposed Nationalist like Odegbami is drifting into tribalism. Such manipulative use of metaphor’s raises a lot of question. How come he never saw anything good about the past administration? With all the progress, medals and reforms which were products of ex-Minister Dalung’s sacrifices in growing the Nation’s sports sector
“I wish the new Sports Minister all the successes he projects and pray he holds unto the legacies that has been Latin before his arrival and improve upon them,” Oku said
