By Amaechi Agbo

The delegation of over 20 federal government personalities to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cameroon, is nothing but a mere jamboree and one that shows a group on tourist voyage, www.bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

A delegation of the Federal Government led by Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwoolu will arrive Cameroon on Monday, January 10, ostensibly to ”cheer the Super Eagles to victory” against the Pharaohs of Egypt, the following day.

The Federal Government has named a high powered delegation to lead the Nigerian contingent to the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament starting in Cameroon next Sunday, January 9, 2022.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, the Deputy Senate president, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba and Honourable Olumide Osoba are also in the delegation.

Some other members include the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, Minister of Agriculture, Dr Mohammed Abubakar, Ministers of State for Finance, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, Agriculture, Mustapha Baba Shehuri and Science and Technology, Mohammed Abdullahi, the Special Adviser to Mr President on Sports, Daniel Amokachi as well as a representative of the Department of State Security(DSS).

Others expected to be part of a special delegation are Sunday Asefun, the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS); Mr Allen Onyeama, Chairman of Airpeace; Mr Bisi Adebutu, Executive Director, Premier Lotto; Mr Emmanuel Orhiaki, Executive Director Marketing, Nigeria Breweries; Mr Karl Toriola, Managing Director, MTN and Mr Alfred Olajide, the Managing Director of Coca-cola.

The delegation is expected to leave for Cameroon on Monday , the 10th of January, 2022 ahead of Nigeria’s first game on the 11th of January.

It is sad, that the federal government has continuously shown its unapologetic bias towards football more than any other sports in the country, particularly the Super Eagles.

The federal government have remained the number one supporter of the Super Eagles so much so that any competition embarked upon by the team, will see the the government hugely involved.

This cannot be said about other sports and even that of the senior female football team, the Super Falcons.

It could be recalled that the President, Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 hosted the Super Eagles before they departed for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia where they performed abysmally.

Again, this year, as the team prepare for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON in Cameroon on Sunday, the team was hosted by the federal government through the ministry of youth and sports development on Tuesday night

And then, on Monday next week, a delegation of politicians mainly, will visit Cameroon to cheer the Super Eagles as they confront Egypt in the opening Group D match at the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.on Tuesday, 11 January, 2022.

This delegation, who have no role to play in the competition is not only a show of jamboree but a collection of tourists who are on tour to explore places they have no interest in.

Millions of naira will be expended on this jamboree, yet, other sports, some of which have brought laurels to the country, are neglected and staved of fund.

For instance, the Nigeria senior national female football team, the Super Falcons won the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, AWCON in Ghana in December 2018.

No Presidential personal accompanied the team, no send forth party held in their honour.prior.to their departure, yet, they went to Ghana, defeated Cameroon in the semi-finals and beat arch-rivals, South Africa in the final to win their 9th continental diadem.

Upon return to the country, the federal government fixed but posted, severally planned hosting dates for the team. Till date, the victorious Super Falcons did not receive Presidential honour for doing the nation proud.

Sadly, the federal government listed the 2018 AWCON triumph as part of their achievements during their scorecard last year.

“Nigeria’s Women’s Football Team, the Super Falcons, won the African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) in 2016 and 2018,” the federal government had said in its scorecard.
This amount to taking glory where you failed to sow

This is in total contrast with the Super Eagles the federal government has continued to treat preferentially. They have continually been an underdogs despite array of stars at their disposal. They failed woefully in 2018 World Cup – crashed out at the group stage – won bronze at the 2019 AFFON with billions of naira invested in them.

Similarly, the national female basketball team, the D’tigress, won the Africa Women’s Championship in 2017, 2019 and 2021, yet they were not accorded national honour and respect they deserved.

Again, the federal government took glory for the hard work of the basketballers as it named their 2021 championship as part of their scorecards in 2021 FG Achievements. That competition hand exposed the rot in Nigeria basketball with the federal government seemingly helpless in addressing the deplorable situation of the team.

“D’ Tigress, Nigeria’s Female National Basketball Team won the 2017 FIBA Africa Women’s Championship, the continental championship Cup, for the first time in 12 years, and earned qualification for its first FIBA Women’s World Cup appearance since 2006.

“In 2018, D’ Tigress, Nigeria’s Female National Basketball Team earned its first-ever win at the FIBA Women’s World Cup, and went on to advance to the quarterfinals. The Team finished in 8th place – the best ever performance by an African Team.

“In 2019, D’ Tigress successfully defended its 2017 Afro Basketball Women Championship Title.

“In 2020, D’ Tigress became the only female African Team to qualify for participation in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games,” the government said about the team during Its scorecard rating.

Recently, the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, NWF went to Tashkent Uzbekistan and took part in the International Weightlifting Federation, IWF Championship where they returned home with 9 medals – 4 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals. Four lifters that won gold at the championship qualified automatically for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Bermignham, England later this year.

The athletes did not receive the attention of the federal ministry of youth and sports nor that of the federal government, despite their feats.

The federal government decision to send a delegate to the Super Eagles ahead of their match on Tuesday is not only destructive but inconsequential.

Instead, these monies to be expended on this jamboree, could have been used to offset the backlog of bonuses and match entitlements owned the D’tigress players who have threatened severally to boycott the FIBA World Cup qualifiers if their allowances are not paid.

The federal government should be proactive and impartial in giving equally attention to every sports in the country and by so doing, encourage the growth and development of sports in general.