By Austin Ogwuda
“I have always been involved in sports from my Primary school days, through Secondary school, and even in the Universities I attended in England. Sports have always been part of my life which is why I built the Sports University of Nigeria”.
These were the words of Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North senatorial district in National Assembly while speaking during the 5 Stars Premier League 2024 finale in Abuja on Saturday.
The sports loving Senator who is also the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports emphasized during the occasion that sports should not be seen as mere recreation but as a professional endeavor with consistent investment needed at both grassroots and national levels and the the need for all Nigerians to engage in sports, regardless of age.
Fielding questions at the event, Senator Ned Nwoko, a passionate advocate for sports development pointed out that “As a nation, we must make conscious efforts to invest in sports. Identifying talent remains a challenge, but the bigger issue lies in nurturing, funding, and preparing our athletes.
“We cannot continue to wait until two months before major competitions like the Olympics to provide support. We will never do well with such last-minute planning. Other nations camp their athletes for years—how do we compete with such preparedness?”, he queried.
He stated that the Senate Committee on Sports on its part has taken a firm position against this trend (fire brigade) and sought for sustainable and consistent funding for athletes.
“We don’t have to wait until a month or two before any competition to release funds. There must be consistent and sustainable funding to develop real, long-term plans that will yield results”.
The Delta North Lawmaker who founded the Sports University of Nigeria said the University offers over 27 different sports, alongside academics, because we want to nurture well-rounded individuals—both athletes and scholars.
“Our goal is not just to create sports stars but to ensure they are also grounded in quality education, so they have something to fall back on after their sports careers”., he stated.
Nwoko applauded the 5 Stars Premier League for providing a platform for young talents to showcase their abilities, pointing out that “Programmes like this are very useful because people who come to watch can spot two or three talents and invest in them, providing the support they need to grow. That is why I have supported this league from the beginning”.
The 6th season of the 5 Stars Premier League was concluded on Saturday with Wireless FC of Abuja emerging as National Champions after defeating Ojodu City FC of Lagos. The league, which started on June 15, spanned 18 weeks across Abuja, Kwara, Kaduna and Lagos.