‘If You Succeed, We Succeed, If You Fail, We Fail’: Dikko Says Sports Federations Are the Engine Room of the NSC

NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko says the National Sports Federations are the engine room of the Commission. He insists the Commission can only succeed if the federations succeed.

Dikko made the remarks in Abuja during the inauguration of the newly elected Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) board, led by Bar. Francis Orbih.

He praised the smooth conduct of the elections, describing it as ‘another plus for the Commission’ and evidence of its commitment to functional federations.

‘The Federations are the backbone of what we are doing here. Our destinies are intertwined. If you succeed, we succeed. If you fail, we fail,’ Dikko stated.

He challenged Orbih and his board to build on their achievements, stressing the importance of representation in continental and global bodies.

‘Mr. President, you have gotten another mandate. This speaks to your good works in the last tenure. You are in the continental and global bodies so it will help the growth of badminton in the country.

‘This is a debt you owe to the people that re-elected you and to Nigerian Badminton in general, to take the sport to the next level,’ he added.

Dikko also urged stakeholders to resolve disputes internally rather than in public, warning that unnecessary conflicts could undermine efforts to attract private sector investment.

‘Our doors are wide open. The Director-General is always here to attend to you. If you have any grievances, come to us instead of going public.

‘We have done a lot to build private sector interest and confidence in the sector and wouldn’t want these little differences to jeopardize these efforts,’ he concluded.

However, stakeholders argue that Dikko’s words have not translated into action.

They point out that the NSC has practically taken over the functions of most federations, disregarding their constitutions.

Concerns have been raised over the appointment of Chief Operating Officers and the imposition of extra board members, even when federation constitutions clearly stipulate the number of board members allowed.

Stakeholders believe that if the NSC respected the autonomy of the federations, allowed them to run their own affairs, and transferred funds allocated to them through the Commission’s budget approved by the National Assembly, the federations would be better positioned to fulfill their mandates and drive the growth of Nigerian sports.