Nigeria's Pillar of Sports Describes 2024 Roller Coaster Year

Nigeria's Pillar of Sports Describes 2024 Roller Coaster Year

The Nigeria's Pillar of Sports, Chief Donatus Agu-Ejidike (JP), has described the outgoing year 2024 as a roller coaster of sort for Nigerian sports, with many ups and downs. This was contained in his End-of-the-year/New-Year press release, which he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, today.

Ejidike said Sports in Nigeria went through a lot of mixed fortunes during the period under review, starting with the, AFCON, Cote d'Ivoire 2023, the All African Games - Accra 2023, the Paris 2024 Olympics games, the 2026 World, and AFCON 2025, qualifiers.

This is not forgetting the FIFA women's Under-20, and Under-17 World Cups, and also, the resuscitation of the National Sports Commission (NSC), and the consequent appointment of Mallam Shehu Dikko as it Chairman, and Mr. Bukola Olopade as the DG. Also worthy of note is the revolving managerial door of the Men's Senior National Football team - the Super Eagles, among other events that shaped the year 2024, the highest points of which were the 2nd-place finish at the AFCON. Ademola Lookman's emergence as the African Footballer of the Year, alongside Chiamaka Nnadozie retaining her crown as the CAF best woman goalkeeper of the year capped the events that made 2024 what it turned out to be - a mixed fortunes.

Ejidike, a former President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN), is of the opinion that, we, as a people, and Nigeria as nation have a lot to learn from the mistakes, and something to consolidate upon in the successes recurded.

Part of the mistakes he highlighted were the shame, to which the ineptitude of some sports' federations' officials subjected Nigeria to in Paris at the Olympics; the lacadaisical approach to the early match-days in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, that leaves the country rooted close to the bottom of the table in our group; how the rein of coach Finidi George was mismanaged that it generated more negative PR, than on-field success; the failure of world record holder in female 100 meters hurdle, Tobiloba Amusan, to live up to her rating at the Olympics games, and the perennial early elimination of Nigerian representatives in CAF club competitions. These according to the Nnewi-born Sports philanthropist are things that must never be allowed to repeat itself, going forward, while he also called for a forensic probe with a view to flushing out of the system, anyone found culpable. The Pillar of Sports also highlights the reported probes of the finances of some Sports Federation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).  

But it is not all gloom and doom, as there were a couple of moments of glory to look back on. He cited the silver medal feat at the AFCON 2023, given the fact that most Nigerians never gave the team much chance, going into the competition. As a matter of fact, Nigeria presented its weakest team in recent years, but against all odd, they went all the way to lost the final, where they lost the match 2-1 to the host, who themselves never had an ideal start to the tournament, in front of their fans at home. He also referenced the emergence of the Super Falcons as CAF's best Female National Team of the Year, against all odds, as being a part of the positives, from the turbulence of the year 2024. 

The Anambra-born business mogul also describes the resuscitation of the NSC and the appointment of Dikko as its chairman as a square peg in a square hole. He expressed his belief that Mallam Dikko is the right man for the job, given his pedigree, global connection, charisma, and above all, track record in sports administration and development. Creating a Sports Economy, as being championed by the Kaduna-born seasoned administrator, is the way to go. If Nigeria is to reap the rewards of its investment and endowmebts in sports, added Ejidike

Another icing on the year-2024 cake was the qualification of the Super Eagles team-B for the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) for the first time in six years. Ejidike noted that, Nigeria did not only qualify, but also did it at the expense of our eternal footballing rivals, Ghana, courtesy of an emphatic 3-1 aggregate win at the Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo last Saturday. He describes it as another positive from the year 2024. 

Ejidike also congratulated the reigning African Footballer of the Year, Ademola Lookman, for his top level performances all through the year, for country and club, saying that, gloomy as the outgoing year is, he gave Nigerians something to celebrate. His achievement in the UEFA Europa League final, his emergence as the 14th best player in the world, per Balon d'Or, as well as the ultimate one - CAF, African Footballer of the Year, not mentioning how his goals at crucial moments lifted the national team. He encouraged the England-born winger never to relent in his efforts, saying he has all it takes to be the best, not only in Africa but also in the world.

The Pillar of Sports also have some words of praises for the coach of National female basketball team, the D'Tigress, Rena Wakama for her outstanding performance at the Olympics in Paris, as well as on the continents of Africa. He calls for more support for the Rivers State-born tactician so that she can surpass the achievements of the outgoing year. 

Ejidike calls om stakeholders to learn the appropriate lessons from the roller coaster experience of year 2024. By trying to improve on how things are done, saying, the reward would be immeasurable in the years ahead. He placed a particular emphasis on the domestic league, The Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL), calling for its improvement on some of the positives recorded so far, like in the area of officiating and also ensure that sponsorship, and issue of television broadcast is sorted out, latest by the end of the ongoing season. He urges administrators to always ensure timely and adequate preparation for athletes ahead of any competition, adding that "failure to prepare is preparation to fail. He would not also leave out the issue of a substantive manager for the Super Eagles, as Nigerians are eager to know which direction the team would be headed in the light of the forthcoming assignments.