BIZARRE: Meet the New Sports Minister of Nigeria who has no sports experience at all

Solomon Dalong

I said this is so weird taking a look at were we are heading to in sports development in Nigeria as this is adding salt to injury. I am referring to the minister of sports portfolio given to Plateau-State born lawyer Solomon Dalong who should probably be in ministry of

Justice or some other relevant position that relates his area of specialization. My personal opinion is that this is totally unacceptable. I still feel and think that this present government is insensitive to the development of sports in Nigeria because out of over 160 million Nigerian including in diaspora they cannot justify that we couldn't find someone else that has a little bit of sports experience either at the grassroots or professional level.

In a country seriously marred and endangered by high rate of youth unemployment, sports and agriculture still remains the only natural alternative to seriously engage the youth. But when you have someone without any idea of sports to pilot the affairs of sports administration and development in Nigeria, then we are heading towards a fatal doom and failure (with due respect to Solomon Dalong). I wonder what his blueprint for sports development and sustainability to enhance job creation for youth and empowerment through sports would look like.

From a Prison officer, to a trained lawyer, then a Personal Assistant to late PDD chief Chief Solomon Lar when he was Adviser Emeritus to former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Mr Solomon became a lecturer in 2004, at his alma mater, the Faculty of Law of the University of Jos and later was once the  Chairman of Langtang South Local Government Area in 2004. Clearly, no sports background!!!

Please someone should remind Mr President that our sports needs serious attention especially in athletics and football were the LMC are doing a wonderful job to take our Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) to the next level.

By Arthur Johnson Nwokolo