It does help and makes sense too.. You have given me a lot to think about.

I did not realise that we had that many in existence already. Though I don’t know if you are familiar with their quality as I am not. However that gives me a lot of hope.

I hope others read this, contribute and ACT NOW!

The school program is a long term but a safe model. We need to partner with the schools through the ministry of education to redesign and restructure our educational systems to accomodate sports. I hear the Minister Ndanusa is considering this option.

In America, we have an efficient and productive system of interscholastic athletics programs at the secondary level. Similarly, in Jamaica, there is a good system of producing young athletes for cricket, soccer, and track and field.

We have to have a discussion of these models and decide which one will be best for Nigeria. There are many factors at play here.

Because my doctorate degree is in secondary education, my inclination is to advocate and push for the secondary school model. The private sector can develop academies but government must develop its signature tennis center or academy. China, Japan, and other countries have this model mixed model.

So I will suggesting that we consider two tracks (1) the academy track and (2) the secondary school track. The question is, how will the federal government defines its role? Minister Ndanusa may define it for us. I hope this helps.

Thanks for taking the time.

I share the vision and ABSOLUTELY believe that IT CAN BE DONE!

From personal experience and seemingly stating the obvious, there is nothing more important in our development as a nation than realising the ability of sports to change young peoples lives (I intentionally left out academics).

I am glad that we share some views and I know for a fact that government will be involved, infact MUST be involved.

I will try and find out more about the Jamaican model.

However, I am very interested in your thoughts as to which model you think will best suit Nigeria and will work for the Nigerian psyche, particularly in your sport of excellence(Tennis).

You have made five interesting observations:
1. Sports is now a big, big business (Tennis inclusive). The business of sports must be developed, recognized, and properly administered and managed if we want to compete continentally and globally.
2. The Ana Ivanovic story is true. There are other stories like that in tennis. That is ONE way to develop tennis. The Williams sister’s model is another model. Remenber Alhaji Adejumo, the father of Nigerian Tennis and what he did in the 1970s. He used his personal and government and International Tennis Federation money to attempt to develop the game. I read that Minister Ndanusa used his personal money to help players. We can learn from all these stories. Moving forward in sports in Nigeria requires us to focus on what we need to do to get as many young people excited and interested in combining academics and sports to better their lives and the life of our nation. It CAN be done.
3. Businesses have a crucial role to play. What is business if corporations are is not providing services and products to make profit These businesses take risks and SPONSOR events. The cycle is interdependent..
4. Nigerian government and Ndanusa in particular must rethink how sports is run. I like Ekeji and I will support Ekeji, just as I am support Nduka. I goal is to get ALL loving Nigerians to work together to save sports in Nigeria. In America, President-Obama is helping us to redefine how politics is played, how human relations is played, and how a job is get done. We believe in vision and we may disagree but the bottom line is that young girl or boy in Akure or Zaria has the access through sports and education to change himself or herself and change Nigeria. That’s is the VISION.
5. “The government CANNOT fund and should NOT run sports; support it, and arbitrate, YES. Whether privatisation is the answer, I do not know, but Sports can and should run and sustain itself.” Jaguar, the reality is that government will be involved one or another in sport. It is written in our laws. Take, for example, the financial crisis in America today, without government bail out, the world including Nigeria will be in recession even depression. Jaguar, imagine that!

This is my final comment The Jamaica Model is working for several reasons. One, the population of Jamaica is less that less 5 million, check it out.. Two, all the things you mentioned above are obvious with the Track and Field program. My friends Charlton will erudite us on this. Three, the program is home grown. tennis is struggling. The Tennis Federation has a tennis center and a school. They are still discussing how to raise money to sustain it. Tennis is not soccer or track and field. Ndanusa knows this. We can learn from all the models. The primary and secondary sports programs are in good shape in Jamaica. I have travelled to Jamaica to see firsthand.

Thank you and is early morning in America. I think better in the morning..

Please can you enlighten us on the Jamaican Module.

Also, I see where you are coming from regarding this veiled ‘concession’ module. It is scary to say the least, from your description of its’ workings.

Further, as much as I don’t buy into privatisation for the sake of it, one cannot argue the huge impact personal money is having in changing the dynamics of sports(football in this instance) in Europe (and UK in particular as the 4 biggest clubs in UK; Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal), arguably in Europe are funded either partly or wholly by personal or business concerns.

Sports is no longer what you do as a hobby, but is now BIG, BIG business (Tennis inclusive) and consequently, its’ development to a very large extent. I feel that it has to be recognised, administered and managed as such in Nigeria, else we’ll just keep going round in circles as we have done for decades….

I read the story of Ana Ivanovic, she was made into a world #1 with someone’s money. Now she has paid the money back with interest. Business; pure and simple.

The government CANNOT fund and should NOT run sports; support it, and arbitrate, YES. Whether privatisation is the answer, I do not know, but Sports can and should run and sustain itself.

Here is the summary of the important points:

1. Speaking on the concession of sports federations, Chief Ekeji said that ” the idea is to allow for certain important sectors to partner with us.” This partneship will allow us to solve some of the problems facing sports in Nigeria.
2. On problems facing sports in Nigeria, Chief Ekeji said that ” some of the problems include not sending athletes to competitions. He said our elites athletes must be properly trained and adequately exposed to compete with the best around the world.
3. On privatization, Chief Ekeji said that “this is the federal government way of handling sports in Nigeria.” He said there got to an alternative way of dealing with the problems facing Nigerian sports. The idea is to “open up all the federations and offer concession to individuals or groups of individuals or corporations.”
4. There will be a board of directors with autonomy to run the federations without governmental interference.
5. The board of directors will decide how they want to manage and run the federations, but emphasis will be placed on (1) elite athletes, and (2) grassroots programs. There will be six federations to start with. The deadline will be extended for a week to allow for people in diaspora to apply.
6. There will be incentives for athletes and coaches up to $8,000 for finishing in the top 10 in international rankings.
7. Negotiations with banks is pending.
8. There will be three different categories: A, B, and C.
Category commands a 20 million naira guarantee;
B is 10 million; and
C is 5 million.
9. Other points include: the Ministry of Sports will pay for the secretaries, if needed; will offer an office space; will focus on results, transparency and accountability.
10. The concession will be for 8 years.

Questions focused on: the current state of infrastructures(energy, facilities, salaries of coaches, training, strategic planning document, administration and creating an enabling environment for sports development. I asked Ekeji, what plans does he haveto lure the best athletes in diaspora to come an assist in the process of transforming sports in Nigeria? he said the ministry has its way of inviting athletes but I will be exploring other ways.

Overall, I feel satisfied but there are many unanswered questions. There is an interface of theory, practice, and policy. This intersection is very critical. This is the point where politics makes it presence known. Sports in Nigeria needs a scientific methodology, if it wants to solve all of its problems. Our deep cultural and social divide will be minimized. But the issue of who governs and who decides which federation gets what, when and how is still a factor.

Like you, I am committed to grassroots programs involving 6 years and 18 years olds. Our generation, Ekeji included, have an obligation and a duty to devote time, energy, and resources to developmental grassroots program while attempting to prepare the “elite” for international competions. Your academy is one example. Chief Ekeji mentioned a tennis academy in Kaduna State, my state of origin. I will be involved in that academy.

Finally, I will not support the privatization of sports in Nigeria to the extent that school programs and various sports academies are neglected and not given a voice in the change process.