Udo-Obong, Sodje Task New Minister On Synergy With Stakeholders

President Bola Tinubu has appointed John Enoh as the Minister of Sports Development. Enoh, a successful farmer, becomes the 15th Sports Minister since the advent of the Fourth Republic replacing Sunday Dare who was the occupier of the office between 2019 and 2023.

Enoh was a Senator in 2015 representing the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State in the 8th Assembly. He was a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) up until May 2017 when he de-camped to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and contested for the Cross River governorship and lost to Ben Ayade.

Aside from politics, Enoh owns numerous farms where he conducts arable and livestock production. However, Enefiok Udo-Obong, an Olympic gold medallist, said he will be looking forward to working with the minister. He said it doesn’t matter if the new minister does not have a background in sports if is he ready to galvanise the stakeholders in such a way that will breed success.

“I am not someone who likes to comment on what Mr Presi- dent is doing or what his government has done but whoever is posted to sports should be someone that has the interest to develop all the sports, not just one or two and I will be looking forward to working with him. “It doesn’t matter if he does not have a background in sports but he should just be a good ad- ministrator who will be willing to serve the country with compassion and integrity,” he said.

Ex-international Sam Sodje has a slightly different opinion, he believes someone with the knowledge of sports would have made more difference and wondered why only politicians are considered for such a sensitive post. “It is unfortunate that we have not had anyone with a core background in sports since 1999.

Having someone who has done sports or is within the sector as the man in charge goes a long way, I know this is politics but some of these elements matter,” he said. He advised the new sports minister to tap into the knowledge of people in the sector to succeed, saying lording his idea on the sector could be counter-productive but he must stimulate a relationship with stakeholders to lift the sector.

“I will tell him that things shouldn’t be about you, you must be able to look at people around you who know sports and can advise, and guide you as to the way to go,” he said.

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