By Emmanuel Iriogbe, Abuja
The Federal Government, FG, has called on political parties and religious groups to desist from the use of the MKO National Stadium, Abuja and other National Stadiums across the country
Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, gave the order today
In a release made available to penpushers online media and signed by Ben Ogbemudia, Special Adviser on Media, Office of the DG/CEO, National Institute for Sports, Shaibu warned that the continuous use of sports infrastructure for non-sporting activities has contributed significantly to the deterioration of many stadia across the country.
According to him, these facilities were built for the training, retraining, and development of Nigerian sportsmen and women, and must be preserved for that purpose.
The NIS Boss lamented that the practice has left Nigeria with very few stadiums that meet international standards, noting that the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo currently remains the only facility in the country that fully meets FIFA requirements for hosting international matches.
Recalling his experience as Deputy Governor of Edo State, where he supervised sports and the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Shaibu said deliberate efforts were made during his tenure to preserve the facility, particularly the athletics track which was under warranty with the contractor.
However, he explained that the situation changed following disagreements with the former Governor, Godwin Obaseki, which eventually led to the approval of the stadium for singer Rema’s homecoming concert.
Shaibu said the event allowed heavy vehicles and equipment onto the pitch and tracks, damaging the facility and breaching the contractor’s warranty agreement.
“Today, the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium can no longer host international matches unless major remediation works are carried out,” he said.
Shaibu therefore urged the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to collaborate with the National Institute for Sports in its quest to protecting and restoring sports infrastructure across the country.
He also called again for the immediate reconstitution of the board of the National Sports Commission to strengthen management, maintenance, and preservation of sports facilities nationwide.
The NIS DG stressed that protecting sports infrastructure is critical to the future of Nigerian youths, adding that sports remain a major platform for youth empowerment and national unity.
He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for youth development and sports growth in Nigeria can only be achieved if the country begins to treat its sports facilities as strategic national assets.
According to Shaibu, safeguarding stadiums and investing in sports development will not only help discover and nurture young talents but also restore Nigeria’s pride in international competitions.