Left for Nigerians, most sports administrators in the country would have by now resigned their positions or appointments. For them, the shame and disgrace the sports sector has brought to the country this season were too much to comprehend.  
President Jonathan had at different occasions expressed concern over Nigeria’s dwindling fortunes in sports. The president had at a point called for the two-year ban of the senior national football team but the call met stiff resistance from the cabals, who feed fat from the sports circle. His frustration was sparked by the remembrance of the good old days when Nigeria was a force to reckon with in sports world.
Last month, Senate President, David Mark echoed President Jonathan’s shout for immediate intervention in sports.  Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2011 President’s Cup Golf Championship, of which President Jonathan was the celebrant, Mark pointed out “In the 1980s and 1990s, Nigeria used to be very prominent in athletics at the world level. We also made a lot of marks in football, boxing, weightlifting and hockey, and athletics. But all of a sudden, we have gone down seriously.” 
Similar thoughts prevailed at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Golf Governor’s Cup tournament held in Abuja this December. Deputy Director in the office of the CBN Governor, Tony Iwuchukwu revealed that they were working towards raising the likes of Tiger Woods in the Nigerian Golf. The aim to promote Golf at the grassroots as a way of popularising the game in the country was also considered. The CBN deputy director said that the banking regulator was considering supporting a golf clinic from 2012 as way of attracting young people to the game. He also said the apex bank was considering about developing golf ranges and mini courses across the country.
“We want to promote golf clinics targeted at children so that the game will be known to school children. We are also talking to the relevant golf authorities about building mini golf courses and ranges across the states, where we can do ‘outside’ golf tournaments. With this roadmap, coupled with proper grooming, we should be able to have top players in the next seven years, who will take the world by storm,” Nwachukwu said.
CBN is not relenting in the promotion and development of sporting activities in Nigeria. Lawn Tennis, All Financial Institutions Football Competition and Golf Tournament are some of the sports it has vowed to maintain its sponsorship. This magazine scooped that the lawn tennis tournament has consistently been sponsored by the apex bank since 1978. David Imonite, Sunday Maku and Shehu Lawal are some of the Tennis stars that had featured and won trophies in the various editions of the tournament. The Bank in 2007, introduced the CBN Junior Tennis Championship to ensure that new stars were discovered and developed early enough. The championship, which serves as a feeder to the senior category, is open to boys and girls of 10, 12, 14 and 16 years of age. 
Iwuchukwu and the CBN appear to have read the president’s mind. They know the importance attached to sports development by the Jonathan administration.
The sorry state of sports was more pronounced in football and athletics. These are the fulcrum of sports in Nigeria. The football nightmare went full blown when the Dream Team V crashed out of the qualifiers for next year’s Olympics. They failed to pick a ticket after they were sent packing through the boots of Morocco and Senegal in the eight team tournament hosted by Morocco. The expectation was that the Dream Team V would soar above other teams at the tourney. It was also expected that the preparation the team got from the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, was enough to take them to places and also serve as consolation for Nigeria’s lackadaisical show in every competition staged between 2010 and 2011. 
Former Super Eagles coach, Austin Eguavoen seems to be the architect of Nigeria’s failure of playing at the Africa Cup of Nation. He bungled Nigeria’s chances of appearing at the Gabon /Equatorial Guinea tournament when he led a team that scandalously lost 0-1 to Guinea in the early stage of the qualifiers played in Conakry. Samson Siasia, the sacked Eagles handler, seems to have regretted the day he signed the deal to manage a team inherited from Eguavoen. 
Nigeria had earlier crashed out of the U-17 qualifiers. That was not too long after the Beach soccer team failed to progress to the semis of the Beach Soccer World Cup held in Italy last September. They lost to Brazil. The country’s football misfortune were numerous to mention but the Aminu Maigari-led board of the NFF appears to have heaved a sigh of relief with the National Beach Soccer Team, otherwise known as Supersand Eagles triumphing over their Brazilian counterpart to lift the just-ended COPA Lagos International Beach Soccer Tournament. To the NFF board, it was a payback time for the Brazilian team. The Supersand Eagles won the tournament after a 7-3 defeat of South Africa; 5-2 whipping of England and a 9-4 mauling of four-time world champions Brazil.
A happy Maigari is optimistic that Nigeria football is taking a new shape following Mr. President’s directive but not without a commendation for the players and coaches, who exhibited exemplary skills and quality throughout the championship.
“The NFF is determined to continue to orientate our players and coaches on the need for absolute commitment and patriotic fervour going into any match or tournament. These values are keys to success”.

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