The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare has disclosed that the Ministry will soon produce a Special Brochure for all young athletes discovered under its Talent-Hunt-Programme so as to document their feat for posterity.
The Minister made the disclosure today in his office in Abuja while receiving Miss Adeela Adedeji, Nigeriaโs 8-year-old Silver Medalist at the just concluded African Gymnastics Championships in Pretoria, South Africa alongside her sibling and parents.
According to him, the brochure which will serve as a one stop shop for young Nigerian athletes discovered through this administrationโs Talent-Hunt -Initiative, would also ensure that their names are written in gold as a mark of governmentโs recognition of their performance.
He assured that the young Gymnast who has automatically become a member of the administrationโs Talent- Hunt-Programme would also enjoy the benefits given to other budding talents, like scholarships and sponsorship to competitions for enhanced development, among others.
Dare added, โyou won Silver but thereโs gold in you, alongside your parents and coaches, we will work assiduously to bring out that Goldโ.
Dare stated further that most great nations discover talents from their younger ages and then monitor, as well as nurture them to bring greater glory to their nations.
โSuddenly, we have seen that the country has potentials, not just in football but also in other sports, with Gymnastics now taking centre stageโ, the Minister said.
The Minister, while restating the present administrationโs commitment to the development of grassroot sports, commended the resilience of Adeelaโs parents and coaches in ensuring her development thus far in the field of Gymnastics and assured that the Ministry will henceforth follow her up in her future competitions.
Speaking on behalf of the young Kwara State born Gymnast, her father, Arc. Yomi Adedeji, thanked the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare and President Muhammadu Buhari in particular, for their commitment to the development of grassroot sports.
While pleading for Federal Governmentโs support towards the development of Gymnastics at the grassroot, he assured that as a parent, he will continue to invest in Adeelaโs talent in order to ensure that she continues to do the nation proud.