By Andrew Abah
The newly appointed Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, has pledged to breathe fresh air into the institution and reposition it to fulfill the vision of its founding fathers.
Shaibu made this known during a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Malam Shehu Dikko, as well as to the NIS office located inside Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
He informed the Chairman of his official resumption and expressed his commitment to revamping the institute.
He emphasized the importance of teamwork in actualizing the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the sports sector.
"I am here to officially inform the Chairman of my resumption following my appointment as Director General of the National Institute for Sports by Mr. President. I also wish to discuss collaboration on the mandates we have been given. Interestingly, we have been working towards this for some time now, but our vision for sports development cannot be fulfilled without genuine passion for it.
"By working closely with Alhaji Shehu Dikko, I am confident that Mr. President’s 'Renewed Hope' for sports will become a reality," Shaibu stated.
In response, Shehu Dikko described Shaibu’s appointment as a 'round peg in a round hole', praising his previous performances in leadership roles.
"I am delighted and excited to welcome my brother. The last time he was here, it was to congratulate us on our appointments, and now he is back as part of the family driving sports development forward. We appreciate Mr. President's continuous support for the sector, and the NIS remains pivotal in providing the technical manpower needed to elevate sports in the country.
"Shaibu is the right man for the job because of his passion for sports and his impressive track record," Dikko said.
Following the meeting, Shaibu conducted an inspection of the NIS facilities at the stadium, assessing both training infrastructure and operational capacities. He identified key areas in need of urgent attention and pledged to address them.
He reiterated the need for teamwork and collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure a complete turnaround of the institute, in line with its founding mission and national objectives.