Shaibu: NIS to Verify Coaches’ Certificates, Weed Out Quacks
The National Institute for Sports (NIS) has announced plans to verify and revalidate the certificates of coaches nationwide to improve performance standards and eliminate quackery in the coaching ecosystem.
Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the institute, Comrade Philip Shaibu, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) at the NIS Building, Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
According to Shaibu, ‘The coaching gaps that we have in this country are over 2 million. When you go to most schools, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, those so-called coaches are not coaches. More than 60 to 70 percent of them are not certified coaches. Why? Because NIS was not working.’
He explained that the institute has cleared its data bank and will soon embark on the verification exercise to weed out impostors.
‘So, we have designed a programme now, very soon and all those who have NIS certificates will be coming to do verification because we want to clean up our data bank and now put up those that are actually NIS certified.
By so doing, employers don’t need to reach us to know who has passed through the NIS or who had the certificate overnight.’
Shaibu emphasized the role of research in addressing challenges at the institute.
‘If there are no challenges, there will be no need for research. So for me, the Research Institute is one of the critical sectors that we must look at. Since I got here,
‘I have seen that there are more problems than I thought. But the good news is that there’s no problem that cannot be fixed. And that is where research comes in.’
Reflecting on the state of the institute, he added: ‘I met NIS at its lowest point… For me, leadership is not about to lament. A leader looks for solutions. And that is why when I came here with the mandate given by the president, to bring it back to life.’
Shaibu, the immediate past deputy governor of Edo State, noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through the Renewed Hope Agenda, is deliberate about using sports to unify Nigeria, diversify the economy, and empower youth.
On behalf of ASURI, Secretary General Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku congratulated Shaibu on his appointment.
‘ASURI is confident that your antecedents as a Comrade in the struggle have prepared you adequately to relate with your staff, empathize with their welfare/career expectations and carry the union along in your Management.
‘Comrade DG, we believe that under your leadership, the NIS will not only reclaim its lost glory but also become a hub for producing champions and driving sports development across the nation. ASURI pledges its support and collaboration in this transformative journey.’
The ASURI delegation was led by National President Dr. Kasim Izebe, alongside Comrade Toye Fawole, Director of Corporate Intelligence, and Comrade Nosakhare Ogbomo.
