Young Athletes Appreciation Tour: NSC honors young athletes in Abuja and Asaba, as tour continues

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has continued its National Youth Recognition Tour with the recognition of outstanding young athletes in Abuja and Asaba, bringing the total number of honorees so far to eleven.

The Abuja leg of the appreciation tour took place on Wednesday at the Nigerian Tulip International College, with the NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, the Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade, and former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, now Presidential Spokesperson, Hon. Sunday Dare, present.

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Speaking at the Abuja event, Hon. Sunday Dare expressed his satisfaction with the progress being made in the development of youth sports.

“I’m excited because what’s being done aligns with the universal laws of sowing as we know them: find promising stars early, nurture them, and then the harvest comes.

We have continued to partner with the private sector and the seeds we sowed four years ago are the ones we are reaping today.

Credit must go to the Chairman and CEO of the National Sports Commission for his insight and commitment to sustaining this vision,” he said.

Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, reaffirmed that youth and grassroots sports remain central to the Commission’s mandate.

“Youth and grassroots development is at the core of what we do. We want to raise the standards of school sports and ensure that schools at all levels – primary, secondary and university – receive the necessary support to discover and develop athletes in collaboration with the National Sports Commission,” said Dikko.

NSC Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, emphasized that the Commission is strengthening partnerships between schools and the sports ecosystem, prioritizing the well-being of athletes.

“We will continue to foster strong relationships between schools and sports. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has always made it clear that Nigerian athletes should never feel abandoned or neglected, and that is the commitment of this Commission,” said Hon. Olopade said.

Honorable. Sunday Dare had previously signed a historic partnership with the Nigerian Tulip International College during his tenure as Minister of Sports, a collaboration that continues to support the development of youth sports.

Among the athletes honored in Abuja were Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo and Miracle Oluebube Ezechukwu, two exceptional youth athletes who first emerged through the guest youth athletes initiative.

Both athletes progressed to represent Nigeria at the CAA African U18/U20 Athletics Championships, where they won gold medals for the country, before claiming additional medals at the African Youth Games in Angola and the African School Games in Algeria.

Other beneficiaries of the recognition program were taekwondo athletes Crown Umeh and Unique Umeh, who received £1 million each in recognition of their performances. Unique Umeh had previously clinched a bronze medal at the first African School Games in Algeria.

In athletics, Andrew Miracle Yemi, a prominent young African, was awarded £2 million in recognition of his achievements. Adaeze Precious was also honored with £1 million, while Rosemary Chigozie Nwankwo received £3 million for her outstanding performances.

Miracle Ezechukwu, West African Champion and Nigerian Champion, was also recognized with a £3 million reward for his notable achievements.

Simultaneously, another NSC team conducted a similar reconnaissance event in Asaba, Delta State.

The team was led by the Director of Grassroots Development, Amaka Ashiofu, together with the Director of FEADS, Madam Mbora Ikana, where promising athletes and medal winners, Udoh David and Gowon Oghenerunor were also honoured.

The Youth Appreciation Tour will continue in Uyo on Thursday where the Commission plans to honor other youth sports stars as part of the NSC’s commitment to the development of grassroots sports.

The NSC Youth Appreciation Tour is part of the Commission’s broader strategy to support and reward emerging talents while strengthening the foundation of Nigerian sports through structured grassroots development.