By Folusho Alade, Abuja
The newly appointed Chief executive officer, CEO of the Elite Athletes Development and Podium Board (EADPB), Yusuf Alli has advocated for a robust Collegiate system where talented athletes can be nurtured for podium performances in our educational system especially in the tertiary institutions.
Speaking to journalists on the sideline of the inauguration and unveiling of members of the Elite Athletes Development and Podium Board on Friday in Abuja, Alli said Nigeria has left that youthful age bracket of 16-25 years where budding athletes are further nurtured through the Collegiate system for podium performances.
Decrying the number of talents that has left the shores of Nigeria for better opportunities, Alli estimated that in the last one year about 184 athletes have left Nigeria for the USA with Edo and Delta states accounting for over 60 of these athletes.
In his words: “Nigeria has left the youthful age of 16-25 years where athletes from the Collegiate system are discovered.
“Last year alone 184 athletes left Nigeria for the USA to be absorbed into their collegiate system.
“Between Edo and Delta over 60 athletes left because of lack of collegiate system to help them nurture their talents.
“We must develop our collegiate system, if we had a good collegiate system,these athletes would still be around,” Alli said.
Citing the example of the USA, the former Captain of Team Nigeria said just two universities gave the USA over 300 medals through the Collegiate system whereas all Nigerian universities combined has only produced one medal so far through Bisi Afolabi in the relays.
Comparing the Olympics games and the Commonwealth Games, Alli said Nigeria does not prepare in time for the Olympics games unlike the preparations for the Commonwealth Games, according to him reason for the poor showings at most Olympics Games.
He however advised for early preparations for the Olympics games rather than the usual fire brigade approach.
The former two term Technical director and former Athletics Federation of Nigeria AFN, Vice-President also called for the drafting of a sports template that will stand the test of time for Nigeria.
Citing the example of Akinoye Sports template drafted in the 1970s and was useful throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
“We want to create a template in sports that will last 30-40years“, he said.
“If you go back to Nigeria’s fortunes in sports, Akinoye drafted the template that gave Nigeria medals in sports from the 70s through the 90s.
“We must have that kind of template for winning.
“By now we should be talking about double digits, about 10-11 medals in every Olympics games.
According to Alli , the mandate of his Board is to work with elite athletes for podium performances. He stated that their job as a board is to take care of the A-Z of podium performances as concerned elite athletes.
While commending the leadership of the National Sports Commission NSC with the able tag team of Mallam Shehu Dikko and Hon. Bukola Olopade for their visionary leadership, Alli called for upgrade and provision of sports facilities across the nooks and cranies of Nigeria to compliment the job of the board .
Yusuf Alli, a former Chairman of Edo State Sports Commission and former African record holder in Long Jump will lead a board comprising former Olympians, sports administrators of repute and technocrats.
The members include Prof. Ken Anugweje, Adviser to the board and member, Dr. Emmanuel Igbinosa, Salihu Abubakar, Aku Aghazu, Tunde Adelakun, and Prof. Sadiq Abdullahi.
Others are former African queen of the tract, Mary Onyali, Hauwa Kulu-Akinyemi, Sunday Odebode, Olumide Oyedeji, Olalekan Alabi, Shagaya Abdulmumeen and Olumide Bamiduro who will serve as secretary of the board.
