Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has urged President Bola Tinubu to dismiss the Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, following Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Adeyanju also called on President Tinubu to investigate the ministry’s handling of the Olympics by instructing the Permanent Secretary to provide a detailed list of everyone involved in the delegation to the games.
In an open letter to the President, the activist expressed dismay over Nigeria’s participation in the games, which was plagued by controversies and disqualifications.
The letter states: “Dear Mr. President, I write to express my disappointment with the dismal performance of Team Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“This failure is directly linked to the incompetence of the Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, who has repeatedly shown a lack of preparation and a refusal to learn from the past.
“Upon assuming office, the Minister made many promises but has failed to implement the National Sports Industry Policy, neglected sports facilities across the country, and demonstrated a poor understanding of the sports sector.
“The recent Olympics were overshadowed by disqualifications and controversies, including: – Favour Ofilli’s exclusion from the 100m due to administrative negligence by the LOC appointed by the Minister; – The disqualification of the 4x100m relay team due to lane violations, reflecting inadequate preparation; – Athlete eligibility issues stemming from poor documentation and registration; – Accreditation problems for coaches and athletes; – The lack of proper preparation for our top team, D’Tigres, who were prevented from joining the opening parade due to official negligence, and had to endure an eight-hour road journey for their first match; – Inadequate equipment for athletes, resulting in a team member having to borrow a bicycle.”
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