Emex Henshaw
With less than two months to go to the commencement of the All African Games on the 8th of March, the president of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation, Dr. Ademola Are, has charged his fellow sports association presidents as the games draw closer.
This charge comes after the Sports Minister, Senator John Owan Enoh, met with all the Federation’s presidents in Abuja to fine-tune game preparations. Dr Ademola praised the meeting as he said it is perfectly timed and crucial, not only in making sure the objectives and well-detailed plans of the ministry align with the Federation’s but also in acknowledgement of the fact that the games in Ghana will serve as qualifications for the 2024 Olympics held in Paris, France.
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The president of the Rugby Federation expressed the importance the Federation plays. He said, “The roles of the federations are of utmost importance in ensuring sustainability in the development and growth of sports in Nigeria.”
Dr Ademola also expressed his appreciation for the willingness of the ministry to schedule a technical meeting for the associations on the 11th of January to discuss technicalities involved ahead of the games, underlying the importance of the meeting to ensure Team Nigeria delivers numerous podium finishes at the games.
He further urged his colleagues to set aside past animosities and work together. He said, “I know we are pained by some happenings in both past and present situations in our sphere of sports development in the country, despite your sacrifice and efforts to ensure that Nigeria remains relevant in the comity of nations. But we must focus on the bigger picture, which is to work with the Honourable Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh, in ensuring that the Federation’s roles in achieving podium finishes at the games are not undermined.”
Dr Ademola has also clarified the memo released earlier by the sports ministry, stating that it will no longer be implemented and that the sports ministry will take care of the logistics for the presidents and secretaries who attended the meetings.
The commitment to ensuring that Team Nigeria triumphs at the upcoming games, scheduled to be held from the 8th of March to the 23rd of March 2024, can only be possible if the unity amongst the Federation is unwavering and dedicated towards the goal, he stated.
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