The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has inaugurated the newly elected Board of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN).
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Dikko said the successful conduct of the election is another testament to the Commission’s resolve to have functional Sports Federations.
“This is another plus for the Commission. We have consistently delivered on Federations elections without rancour,” Dikko said.
“This is in furtherance of the mandate from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for us to get the Federations fully functional. 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. This is why all we do here is geared towards the success of the Federations,” he added.
The NSC Chairman challenged the Francis Orbih-led 15-member Board on the task ahead.
“Mr. President (Orbih) you have gotten another mandate. This speaks to your good works in the last tenure,” Dikko added. “You are in the continental and global bodies so it will help the growth of badminton in the country.”
“I have always clamoured for our sports administrators to get involved in the continental and global bodies. 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.”
Dikko enjoined the members and badminton stakeholders as a whole to embrace internal dialogue instead of de-marketing the sport in the public.
“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,” he added.
We have done a lot to build private sector interest and confidence in the sector and wouldn’t want these little differences to jeopardise these efforts.”
The NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade is bullish about the prospects of the new Board.
“I have looked intently at the composition of this Board and I have no doubt in my mind that you will do well,” Olopade said. “In here are people of proven track record in sports which is what we have been advocating for.”
“I can see people here who have a passion for the development of the sport. That is a key ingredient to grassroots sports development which is at the core of what we are doing in the Commission.”
In his vote of thanks after the inauguration, Orbih thanked the NSC leadership for the tremendous support accorded the sport in his previous tenure.
“Badminton has received immense support since you assumed office in the Commission and this is reflected on the results the various badminton teams are churning in,” Orbih said.
“We are going to raise the bar this time around. After the election today, I felt a heavy weight on me. When you mentioned the debt, it even makes the weight heavier. With your usual support, no doubt we will continue from where we stopped.”