Dr. Steve Olarinoye is the former head of Int’l competition, NFA that took the dream team to Atlanta ’96. In this interview with MIKE ADEYEMI, he speaks on the way forward in sports developments in Kwara State as well as the urgent need for the Kwara State Government to establish Sports Commission in place of Sports Council. Excerpts:
How would you describe sports development in Kwara State?
Since I retired in 2016, I have been abreast of sports developments in Kwara State. I first discovered that we lack equipments owing to my closeness to weightlifting. I decided to donate within my capacity to the association equipment worth millions of naira. As a member of Nigerian Weightlifting Federation , myself and Mrs Esan the former director of sports were able to persuade the federation to assist us. Kwara State was among the 8 states that they obliged.
Now, talking about sports development generally in Kwara State. In the past, even when we were in the school, we had better structure. Everything was okay. But today, I can tell you the opposite is the case.
In the aspect of Professionalism, it is lacking. It’s appalling that people in the saddle of sports administration now hardly know anything about sports. And where such deficits is apparent, there is rarely success.
That is why right now we are agitating for a sports commission in place of sports council.
What is the way forward to the shortcomings you ‘ve observed?
I think the first way forward is to work towards having right structure. It’s not something an individual can just put in place. It takes the cooperation of everybody, the schools, and the parents. When I said schools, I’m talking of the grassroots. We must go back to the grassroots if we actually want any meaningful progress.
Apart from the Kwara State stadium, can you point to any other place in the state where infrastructure is visible.
Even the present one is moribund. It is either they make it senatorial or we make it on local government level. We must have what we call sports centre.
Let me give you an instance. In 2002 when we were preparing for COJA, the then governor of Delta State, James Ibori approached my boss then that he should assist them on sports development.
The first thing we advised which they did was on this sports centre. In Delta State today, there are sports centres across each local government. There is no other state in Nigeria that is equal to Delta State in terms of sports development.
I’m happy the Kwara State Governor is a sports loving person, ditto his deputy. The deputy governor played handball for Kwara State in 1978. So ,we are lucky to have them at this time.
I have been invited to the government house to put up a sustainable blueprint on sports in Kwara which I have submitted. When I came back home in January 2007, my coming was not accidental. Because I knew that my service would be needed. I have seen it all in sports.
Are you saying with sports commission, Kwara sporting industry ‘ll thore?
Yes. The blueprint I submitted to the Kwara State Government had raised that. It was when we were operating sports commission then that Nigeria was doing well in sports. If we operate sports commission, the bureaucratic bottlecks ‘ll be out of it. In the late 80s to the mid 90s, under the sports commission, Nigeria was doing well. It was the military regime then. Ahaikomoh was the vice president and was solely in-charge of sports.
Chief Akinyele was the Chairman National Sports Commission. He reports directly to Ahaikomoh. So anything coming under money or whatever goes straight to Chairman National Sports Commission. That was the time we had Westerhof. He performed. He had direct access to Ahikomoh, he had time to go to the grassroots. I was with him, we worked together. Westerhof went round all the Nigerian Leagues. It was then he discovered the likes of Kanu Nwankwo, Finidi George, Tijani Babangida and others. We put them together, and over time they did well. It was then we qualified for the first World Cup, that was when we won Nations Cup and Atlanta Olympics which never happened before.
So, if Kwara State can embrace sports commission, we ‘ll have a headway in the industry.
About 9 states are now operating sports commission. Just last week, Edo State House of Assembly passed a bill waiting for the Governor’s assent on sports commission. So why should Kwara State be left out?
Kwara happens to be among the 12 states created in Nigeria. Why is the new states created after us now moving ahead of us in terms of sports development
Another good aspect of operating a sport commission is that sponsorship would only embrace commission and the sector will thrive.
Are you of the opinion that the current school curriculum on sports should be altered?
In those days, there was good relationship between Sports and Ministry of Education. Kwara State government should try as much as possible to form synergy with ministry of education. It is by doing that we can move ahead or else we will just be beating about the bush.
That time, there were spaces for sporting activities. Look round todays schools, there is no such a thing. It is the Ministry of Education that will give approval for that.
If we really want to go back to the grassroots, it is through good relationship between the ministry and the government.
How would you rate the performance of the new board of Kwara United since assumption of office?
I want to commend them based on the way they started. The new board has made a giant stride in carrying stakeholders along.
I’m saying this because they carry stakeholders along, it shows you want them to assist you, you can’t do it all alone. I commended them for that.
Look at the achievement they have made within a short period. It shows they know their targets. They have started well, coupled with the fact that we also have a good government in place now.
