Galadima, Toro tip Dalong to improve Nigerian sports
Former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima and former Bauchi State commissioner of sports Ahmed Sani Toro, yesterday predicted that the new sports minister Barrister Solomon Dalong will take the nation to a new height in sports development.
The duo in a telephone interview with Daily Trust yesterday said that though he may not have come with a sports background into the ministry, they believe he will succeed if he listens to good advice.
Galadima said that the new helmsman in the sports ministry will excel if he can get good people to give him well-meaning advice, noting that his background should not be a hindrance for the nation to excel.
He added that though the expectation was for a person with bias in sports to be appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to heads the sports ministry.
“Let’s pray he understands the terrain. We are hoping and praying that he get good people to give him good advice. Nigerians would have loved to have someone with sports background as the minister but to me this does not count.
“We had people who claimed to be sports experts, appointed for the ministry and they ended messing up the place, so what will you say of other sectors that have non-professionals handling the ministries. What he need is our prayers and support to succeed,” Galadima said.
Toro, who is described as one of the most successful Secretary General of the NFA and a seasoned sports administrator, said from his knowledge of the background of Dalong, Nigerians should expect the best in the sports sector under his tenure.
According to Toro, what the minister needed was to be a good listener by taking his time to study the terrain before taken major decisions.
“My advice to him is to study the terrain by coping from his boss who took time to know what was on ground before acting.
“He is going to be dealing with technocrats and I am happy he will meet someone like Alhassan Saleh Yakmut and his team in the sports commission who I believe will give him all the necessary support.
“We will not have issues in Sports in the country with Dalong in charge, he is a man who wants to always learn and excel in whatever responsibility given him, my advice to him is that he should be extra careful,” he added.