Other Sports
OPINION: Solomon Dalung, a Man Misunderstood
BY NNEKA IKEM ANIBEZE, SA MEDIA
The name Solomon Selcap Dalung is a household name. From religion, politics, activism, youths and now sports, Dalung is the man they love to ‘hate’.
When he assumed office as Minister of Youth and Sports on 11th November, 2015, nobody gave him a chance of succeeding. His administration had been declared ‘dead on arrival’!
According to armchair analysts and big wigs in the industry, Dalung was a novice! A nobody, and therefore, a misfit for the position. Some went a step further to condemn his choice of clothing; the popular red beret and neatly starched and ironed khaki.
Others called him the cattle rarer from Jos! I never heard of any other minister so consistently maligned with a barrage of insults heaped at his doorsteps at every opportunity available.
If anyone had told them he’ll still be in office by now, considering the torrents of derogatory remarks targeted against him, they wouldn’t have believed. But Dalung’s case is that of God’s ordained.
When God chose David the shepherd, it wasn’t because he was the most intelligent. It was because of one of those mysterious ways which God uses to prove that He alone is God.
Barrister Dalung, as I always refer to him, has managed to steer the ship to where it is at the moment. Our last port was the National Sports Federations elections.
He had promised to leave a legacy of credible and democratically elected federations’ boards.
According to him, ” Even if I don’t know anything and never achieved anything, let it be said when I’m no longer here, that one man called Solomon Selcap Dalung that wore khaki and red beret came, and ensured that elections into sports federations’ boards was not ‘business as usual’.
To achieve this legacy, Barrister Dalung forfeited the five slots per federation known as ‘Government Nominees’ allotted to the man in charge of sports at the time of election. Multiply 31 Sports Federations that were billed to have their elections on June 13, 2017 by five and you’ll get 155. This means that Dalung forfeited his entitlement of hand picking 155 persons to be on the board of sports federations.
Secondly, Dalung stopped all staff of the ministry of Youth and Sports from being on any board of the federation. Again, according to him, “you cannot be an umpire in a game and also be a player”. Therefore, he directed all directors who had already ‘won’ their various elections to step down.
Thirdly, Dalung increased the ‘Electoral College’ from what used to be 13 to 58. This meant that there were voters from the 36 states and Abuja being represented by the State Directors of Sports, six zonal representatives, one representative each from the Nigeria Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS), the Technical and Coaching Association, the Athletes’ Representative, International Representative, Institutional Sports, the Nigeria Association for Physical, Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance (NAPHER-SD) and representative of the Federation’s Philanthropist, Ex-officio member or Sponsor. Any contestant who aspired to be President or Vice President had to convince the Electoral College why he/ she should be voted for.
Another measure Dalung put in place to ensure a level playing field for all interested contestants was to inaugurate an ‘independent’ electoral committee.
On the eve of the elections, the secretaries of all federations interchanged positions just to ensure that no incumbent got a ‘helping hand’.
Then came the Ides of June!
Yes, there were problems which were peculiar to elections of such magnitude. Zonal, Vice President and Presidential elections were held on the same day. Some woke up to find their names missing from an already screened list while some alleged that those who did not even contest found their names on the list as winners of various positions.
Who dun it?
Dalung, of course!
“Oh! He changed the list and put his lackeys!”
“Oh! He put those who won’t ask him to account for Federations’ allocation!”
“Oh! No wonder they flew him to Canada in a private jet belonging to one of the contestants!”
Such were the accusations against the man who had planned a seamless election for sports federations.
For your information, Barrister Solomon Selcap Dalung has never been to Canada! Not even in his dreams.
Yes, we agree there were some lapses but the same Dalung set up an Electoral Appeals Committee to attend to various complaints arising from unlawful disqualification to disenfranchisement.
It will be unfair for aggrieved persons to go on air or on the pages of newspapers to judge, condemn and sentence the same Dalung who hitherto, was celebrated for his sports reforms and elections guidelines which were described as the best ever.
That the elections didn’t favour them now does not mean that Dalung did not do his bit.
There are channels of expressing one’s complaints and means of seeking redress instead of networking a campaign of calumny.
If you appeal and then you’re not given a fair hearing, then you can go the extra mile but venting on a man who did his best and is still up on it, is to say the least, unfair.
Dalung will sell my paper any day because he’s a news man’s delight but let’s not take his silence for weakness, for even a he-goat knows his way home!
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has praised the growing involvement of Ibom Air in sports development, describing the airline as an exemplary corporate citizen whose contributions are helping to strengthen sports in the state.
Governor Eno gave the commendation on Saturday during activities marking the seventh anniversary of Ibom Air, following the final of a football tournament organised by the airline at the Uyo Township Stadium.
Represented by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Paul Bassey, the governor applauded the airline’s increasing support for football, golf and tennis, noting that its intervention had positively impacted sports development in the state.
“It pleases me to know that you are not only riding the skies in aviation, but also distinguishing yourself as an exemplary corporate citizen,” the governor stated.
“Your intervention in golf, tennis and, most recently, football is worth commending.”
Governor Eno particularly highlighted the airline’s contribution to football and tennis in the state, stating that its sponsorship nearly helped Akwa United regain promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League.
He also credited the airline’s support for the success of the Akwa Ibom tennis team at the recently concluded Niger Delta Games in Benin City, where the state won three of the five gold medals on offer in tennis.
While congratulating the airline on its seventh anniversary, Governor Eno described Ibom Air as a symbol of the Akwa Ibom spirit of excellence, professionalism and innovation in the aviation sector.
According to him, the airline’s operational standards and recent expansion into international routes within the West African sub-region have strengthened connectivity, boosted commerce and tourism, and contributed to the state’s economic growth.
“The achievements recorded within this relatively short period have stood out as an eloquent testament to the hard work and foresight of your airline’s dedicated leadership and focused workforce,” he said.
“This anniversary marks not only the celebration of years, but the celebration of vision, resilience, professionalism and unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction.”
The football tournament organised to celebrate the airline’s anniversary lasted over two weeks and culminated in a dramatic final at the Uyo Township Stadium.
The Lagos team of Ibom Air emerged champions after defeating their Uyo counterparts 3-2 on penalties following a goalless draw in regulation time.
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The stage is set for the 3rd National Para Games, Nigeria’s largest and most prestigious para sports event, scheduled to hold from March 26 to April 3, 2026, in Abuja.
For nine days, the nation’s capital will host more than 3,000 athletes representing all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, competing across 15 different sports in what promises to be a vibrant celebration of resilience, excellence and inclusion. Organisers say champions will emerge, records will tumble, and new chapters will be written in Nigeria’s para sports history.
The Games are being organised by the National Sports Commission, which describes the event as a critical platform for talent discovery, national unity and the advancement of para sports development across the country.
Since its inception, the National Para Games has evolved into a cornerstone of Nigeria’s sporting calendar, spotlighting the remarkable abilities of athletes living with disabilities while reinforcing the country’s commitment to inclusive participation in sports.
Officials say the 2026 edition will surpass previous outings in scale, organisation and competitive intensity. With participation confirmed from every state of the federation and the FCT, the Games are expected to reveal the depth of talent spread nationwide and provide a pathway for standout performers to progress to continental and global competitions.
In a significant boost to preparations, the National Youth Service Corps has partnered with the Commission by releasing its Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja, to serve as the official Games Village. The facility will accommodate athletes and officials throughout the competition, offering a secure and community-focused environment designed to foster camaraderie and peak performance.
The collaboration reflects a broader inter-agency commitment to empowering young Nigerians and promoting social integration through sport. It also underscores growing national recognition of para athletes as integral contributors to Nigeria’s sporting success.
With anticipation building and logistics nearing completion, Abuja is poised to welcome thousands of competitors and supporters for what promises to be a defining celebration of courage, competition and collective pride.
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By Keresifon Essien
Akwa Ibom State will parade a strong contingent of about 280 athletes and 44 officials at the 2026 Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF), scheduled to hold in Benin City, Edo State, from February 20 to 28.
The State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with the Curator of Keresy Sports Museum (KSM), Keresifon Essien, noting that Team Akwa Ibom will compete in 16 sporting events at the regional multi-sports fiesta.
According to Bassey, the sports in which the state will feature include football, basketball, volleyball, handball, table tennis, badminton, lawn tennis, boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, taekwondo, weightlifting, swimming and chess.
To ensure optimal preparation, the state government has constituted a five-man State Liaison Committee to oversee arrangements for the festival. The committee is chaired by the Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey.
Other members of the committee are Coach Catherine Ewa Ekuta, Head of Technical; Guinness World Record holder George Essien; Edidiong Stephen, a member; and Mfon Bassey, who serves as Secretary.
Bassey explained that the committee has been mandated to fine-tune all preparations for the festival, beginning with the state trials scheduled for this weekend, and to ensure that the contingent arrives in Benin City fully prepared and ready to project Akwa Ibom State positively at the Niger Delta Sports Festival.
He expressed confidence that with proper planning and early preparations, Team Akwa Ibom will make a strong impression when the festival proper begins.
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