The Impunity Called National Sports Commission Without A Governing Board
By Harrison Jalla
Sports will continue to be in disarray in Nigeria, with entrenched corruption thriving, until the executive and legislative arms of government wake up to their responsibilities. Sports is one of the most sensitive and volatile sectors of the Nigerian nation because it deals directly with Nigerian youths.
Nigeria is fortunate to have over 60% of its population made up of vibrant youths, and sports is central to their growth and development.
Unfortunately, the Fourth Republic has not helped the development of Nigerian sports at any level.
Both the executive and legislative arms of government have failed woefully in their constitutional roles of supervision and oversight.
How else can one explain why the National Sports Commission (NSC) has been running without a governing board for almost two years?
Where is the Presidency?
Where is the House of Representatives Committee on Sports?
Where is the Senate Committee on Sports?
Why is the National Sports Commission operating brazenly like a headless chicken, contrary to its own Establishment Act? Who authorised a two-man commission to spend public funds without a governing board? How can two persons run a commission in a constitutional democracy when Section 2 of its Establishment Act clearly specifies a 17-member governance structure?
The membership of the NSC governance structure is clearly stated as follows:
1. The Chairman
2. The Director-General
3. The Head of School Sports in the Federal Ministry of Sports responsible for Education
4. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports, or his representative
5. A representative of the National Association of Physical Education, Recreational Sports and Dance
6. Chairman of the States Directors of Sports Forum
7. Two representatives from the organised private sector
8. The Director-General and Chief Executive of the National Institute for Sports
9. A representative of the military and paramilitary agencies
10. A representative of institutional sports (NUGA, NIPOGA and NICEGA)
11. A representative of the Association of Retired Sportsmen and Women
12. A representative of the Nigerian Medical Association who shall be a sports medicine expert
13. A representative of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)
14. A representative of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN)
15. A representative of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN)
16. Six Chairmen of the State Sports Councils representing the six sports zones, to serve on a rotational basis of two years per state:
• Zone 1: Ibadan
• Zone 2: Benin
• Zone 3: Enugu
• Zone 4: Bauchi
• Zone 5: Jos
• Zone 6: Kaduna
Unfortunately, Shehu Dikko is set to fritter away yet another opportunity handed to him on a platter of gold by Mr President due to greed and the politics of exclusion, the same way he blew the opportunity to make any meaningful impact on the NPFL as Chairman of the defunct League Management Company.
The National Sports Commission worked effectively in the past. History will continue to remember patriotic and powerful Director-Generals who diligently served this country. Veterans like the late Isaac Akioye, the late Alhaji Babayo Shehu (both of blessed memory), Dr Amos Adamu, and more recently Dr Patrick Ekeji, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, and Alhaji Alhasan Yakmut all played their parts.
The NSC never had any overbearing chairman.
The Director-Generals functioned as the Chief Executives of the Commission with properly constituted boards under the leadership of a chairman.
This current two-man “board” commission, whose actions and inactions are ultra vires in the eyes of the law, has completely lost focus.
They usurped and hijacked the functions of the NFF during the just-concluded AFCON.
A focused NSC always works from the background.
In light of the current chaotic situation in Nigerian sports, and to avoid a breach of public peace arising from the deliberate exclusion of critical stakeholders in sports administration, a newly incorporated advocacy group—Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Concepts—has taken action.
The group has instructed its legal team, led by Chief Rumson Victor Baribote, to issue a pre-action notice to the Attorney-General of the Federation, as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, to take appropriate steps within 14 days to ensure the constitution of the governing board of the National Sports Commission.
Should the Attorney-General fail to act, we shall seek redress in a court of competent jurisdiction.
Prince Harrison Jalla
Is The Chairman
Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Concepts.
