I don’t should be footballer to be sports activities minister

The brand new Minister of Sports activities Improvement, Senator John Enoh, has replied critics who questioned his capacity to ship, insisting he mustn’t be a footballer to offer management for the sports activities sector.

Stakeholders within the sector expressed shock on the appointment of the 57-year-old by President Bola Tinubu final Wednesday, saying Enoh, a farmer and politician, had no reference to sports activities.

“I don’t assume that that you must be an lively participant, that that you must be both a footballer or this or that so that you can be Minister of Sports activities Improvement, I don’t assume so,” Enoh mentioned.

“I feel what’s required is who can present management, who can present route, who could be clear, who can perceive this sector, and there’s no how that anyone appointed right here won’t attempt to perceive this sector.”

Enoh added that being a footballer didn’t straight translate to efficient management in sports activities.

“If it’s about taking part in soccer or collaborating in sports activities, I used to be a footballer and my schoolmates which are nonetheless in contact with me have despatched messages to remind me of my taking part in days, after my appointment.

“It’s not about that actually, I could possibly be that footballer and might’t present management and I’m unsure that’s what you’re in search of.”

Enoh added that he wasn’t shocked that the media centered on his farming enterprise.

“When some folks drew my consideration, they mentioned I ought to reply to what was written within the media, ‘that he’s a farmer turned sports activities minister and all that. ‘And I mentioned, ‘Effectively, in my profile, you’re going to search out that I’m a politician, I’m a instructor, I’m a farmer and I’m a philanthropist, so the media is free to only decide farming and blow it, isn’t it?’ However I additionally mentioned, ‘Are they not appropriate? How a lot are you aware about me by way of the sports activities sector?’

“So, they’re appropriate to jot down what they write, however now that I’m sworn in, the media will then start to know who I’m, and my hope is that it will likely be for an excellent function, that collectively we will make a distinction on this sector that excites Nigerians,” the Cross River-born politician added.