Sports has rich economic potential Nigeria is not exploiting, Runsewe says

Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Olusegun Runsewe, on Thursday in Abuja urged sports administrators in Nigeria to quickly tap into sports’ huge economic benefits.

Runsewe told visiting Executive Committee members of the FCT Chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) that it was a sure way of alleviating poverty in the country.

Newsmen report that the SWAN FCT Chapter’s Executive Committee members had visited him ahead of the chapter’s proposed Sports Summit slated for Abuja later in the year.

“Apart from football, Nigeria can harness great fortunes from other sports such as golf.

“For instance, by year 2020, nothing less than six billion dollars would be up for grabs the world over in golf alone.

“Many European countries and a few African countries, such as South Africa and Zimbabwe, have been harvesting from golf. Nigeria should not fail to do this also,’’ Runsewe added.

The NCAC director-general who expressed great worries about sports development in Nigeria said it was worrisome the way the country had been putting all its energies into football development alone.

“Most times we tend to give more focus and interest to football. But I have always said it, that this is wrong.

“I did a tour in 2012 and I realised that if Manchester united, Chelsea and Arsenal are playing today what they make in return is not up to what a renowned golf player like Tiger Woods will make in one appearance.

“To watch Tiger Woods in 2013 during the Master, I paid 6,000 dollars which I would have used to watch Premier League matches for a whole year.

“So, if we take some of the few neglected sports very seriously, sports as a whole would have made great impact for this country.

“If in one week, professional golf is not played in London, South Africa and some other top European countries, it will affect their economy,’’ he said.

The NCAC DG disclosed that the Council would soon roll out a competition tagged “Golf Culture’’.

He said this would be in line with the commencement of regular sports activities by NCAC staff.

Runsewe advised Nigerian footballers to dump the habit of living lavishly and invest for the future commended SWAN FCT Chapter and expressed support for the Sports Summit initiative.

Speaking earlier, SWAN FCT Chapter Chairman, Kayode Adeniyi, had said the purpose of the proposed Sports Summit was to enable relevant stakeholders exchange ideas on the future of sports in Nigeria.

He then urged corporate bodies and good-spirited individuals, as well as governments at all levels, to show genuine concern in the country’s sports development.

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