Nigeria Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has shown that with clear direction and honesty, the country’s sports can reach the great heights, OKakuro Group International representative in Nigeria, Ms. Idemabasi Mkpokporo, has said.
Reacting to the imminent resumption of sporting activities in the country, Mkpokporo said the sports minister has left no one in doubt about his genuine interest in the sector. She commended Dare’s efforts in conjunction with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, the NCDC, and the Federal Ministry of Health, to ensure the return of sporting activities with the possibility of staging the National Sports Festival in Benin as early as October, this year.
The sportswear group boss said: “To us in Okakuro Group, the tiny details, the little things that others may ignore matter in the actualisation of great achievement and berthing lifetime dreams. This, the Minister and his team has been able to do and as such they must be highly commended.”
She said the minister’s “genuine efforts to add tangible values to the sector can be seen in the move to return national sports monuments to their glorious state, catering for the welfare of the late mother of the former national star, Sam Okwaraji, who died serving the nation, and efforts to immortalise late Super Eagles striker, Rashidi Yekini, as well as hosting the 1994 national team that played in the country’s first FIFA World Cup appearance.
“His ministry just signed an MoU with an N150 million corporate commitment in support of basketball league, a development that would spur other interested individuals and corporate bodies to offer their support for the growth of the sector.
“His attitude is worthy of emulation by those who aspire to be remembered for their good works.”Mkpokporo also joined the call for the Lagos National Stadium to be named after ‘the patriotic and selfless midfield maestro, Samuel Okwaraji.’
She also appealed to the ministry to set up a fund to cater for the welfare of retired sportsmen and women, especially those living in penury.
