Minister Advocates Heavy Investments In Sports To Secure Nigeria’s Future

The Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy yesterday, called for heavy investments in sporting activities towards ensuring a perfect future security for the country.

With particular emphasis on programmes that could serve as platforms for the Nigerian youths to showcase their skills towards making them become whatever they intend to be, Tijani declared that the three tiers of governments must invest heavily in the different categories of sporting activities as doing so remains the surest way towards guaranteeing the needed future for the country.

The Minister stated these while fielding questions from LEADERSHIP during the presentation of trophies and cash gifts to winners at the just concluded 3-days Youths Basketball Festival, sponsored by the Bosun Tijani Foundation Youth Basketball Tournament in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The Minis said the maiden edition of the Bosun Tijani Foundation’s Youths Basketball Tournament he introduced will become an annual event where young talents will showcase their skills, have fun and celebrate during the festive season.

“”Mr. President will always talk about this; we are a country where the average age is 16. 9 percent and over 60 percent of our people are under 30-years. That is the sole responsibility that we have and so if we truly care for the future, we must invest in programmes that can uplift them. Programmes that can become platforms for them to show their skills and become whatever they intend to be”.

“This is going to be an annual event for me and whether I am in government or not, I plan to be doing this and even during the Ileya Festivals, it is already planned that we’ll have the Table Tennis Competition as well. It is a tool to reach people, just like we are doing in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) through the ArtificialIntelligence (AI) across the 774 Local GovernmentAreas of Nigeria”.

Promoter of the youths Basketball tournament and Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Tijani explained that he used the spirit of Basketball Tournament to bring the youths together and give them the opportunity to express themselves through sports, sharpen their skills and unlock confidence, character and possibilities.

Meanwhile, the events featured presentation of medals and cash gifts to winners as the North Central Basketball Team, NNCBC went home with a sum of N3 Million star prize having defeated their opponent, the Lagos State based Ilupeju Raiders on an aggregate of 62 – 52 in the final of the game decided at the Alake Sports Complex, Ijeja, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The Ilupeju Raiders however, won a cash prize of N1. 5 Million, while the 3rd placed team won a cash sum of N1 Million at the event witnessed by representatives of the state governor and prominent royal fathers from the State.