Aftermath Of Yusuf-Olukoju's Election: NAWIS Commends NSC's Leadership Role

Aftermath Of Yusuf-Olukoju's Election: NAWIS Commends NSC's Leadership Role

By Admin

The National Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS) has praised the National Sports Commission's (NSC) leadership following the election of former Nigerian athlete Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju as NAWIS representative on the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), reports BSNSports.com.ng.

The NAWIS election took place in Abuja on Monday, after which the Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, organized a reconciliatory meeting with the association and the main contenders in the election—Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju and veteran sports journalist Nneka Anibeze—to address any issues that may have arisen from the election results.

Yusuf-Olukoju emerged victorious over Anibeze, but both have decided to unite and collaborate for the benefit of the Girl Child and women's empowerment in Nigerian sports.

Following the meeting, a delighted Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju expressed her appreciation for the attention the current NSC leadership is giving to Nigerian sports.

She stated, “NAWIS is very proud of the ongoing re-engineering in Nigerian sports. The DG is someone who can bring everyone to the table and facilitate discussions, which is what we need in this sector. Nigerian sports is fortunate to have leaders like him and Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko.”

She added, “We are all a family, and like any family, we may have disagreements. However, our goal is to reconcile and move forward together because we all aim for the success of the AFN.”

Yusuf-Olukoju emphasized, “There are no hard feelings between Nneka and me regarding the NAWIS election. She has a deep passion for athletics and has been involved in the sport for many years. She even covered my journey as an athlete, so I see her as an ambassador for the AFN. We will collaborate to advance the federation.”

Nneka Anibeze also acknowledged the vital role the NSC's Director General played in preventing post-election tensions from escalating.

She remarked, “I thank the DG for intervening and fostering peace. Without his efforts, the situation could have worsened. He brought me and everyone together, and we have all agreed to support Fatima.”

Anibeze continued, “She is an icon of athletics and has her plans for women and girls, which align with my own aspirations. We share the same passion, and with the DG’s assistance, we have committed to working together towards a common goal. We believe that better things are on the horizon.”