The Honorable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, visited the headquarters of News Central Television in Lagos, Nigeria on Friday, April 19, 2024. The distinguished visit was part of the Minister’s commitment to fostering partnership and development in the sports sector with private and public stakeholders. In the Minister’s entourage was Orok Effangha, the Special Adviser on Strategy, Kenneth Egbas, Special Adviser and Consultant and Diana Mary Nsan, the Special Adviser on Media.
The delegation was received by Mr Kayode Akintemi, the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief alongside Senior Executive Members of News Central Television. Mr Kayode commended the Minister for his continuous support and implementation of initiatives in sports development. He also noted News Central’s commitment to partnership and collaboration with Nigerians in the diaspora for significant development and growth across various sectors in line with the station’s overarching goal of promoting developmental journalism.
The Honourable Minister appreciated the News Central Team for their efforts in fostering journalism and positive engagement. He emphasised the leadership of Pres. Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his ingenuity in creating the Ministry of Sports Development and expressed his gratitude for being the pioneering Minister of the nascent Ministry.
Commenting on News Central’s activities and collaboration with Nigerians in the diaspora, the Minister commended the station and remarked on the necessity of looking beyond remittances from citizens in the diaspora to retain talent and promote patriotism. He observed the mass exodus of athletes from the nation and the need to look out for ways to encourage participation among young athletes.
The Minister seized the opportunity to reinforce the government’s unwavering commitment to promoting sports and physical activity as integral components of national development and societal well-being.
Furthermore, the visit provided a platform for Senator John Enoh to highlight the government’s comprehensive agenda for advancing sports infrastructure, nurturing talent, and driving partnerships with private sector actors. The visit culminated in a tour of News Central’s facilities by the Minister and his team where the Minister explored the NewsRoom and Live Studio. The Minister of Sports also granted a special interview with News Central’s Sports Analyst, Babatunde Koiki.
In the interview, the Honourable Minister commented on the dynamism of sports in the modern age and the need for adaptation on a national level. “Sports has gone beyond talent…sports has become scientific,” he said.
The visit concluded on an optimistic note, with both the minister and representatives of News Central expressing enthusiasm about collaborating on initiatives aimed at increasing the prominence of sports on the national stage.