By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria is set to partner Spain on the development of sports in the country and to ensure its huge economic potentials are utilized.
The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh stated it in his office at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja when he received the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Ignacio Sell.
He said that Spain was undoubtedly a renowned country in the field of sports, especially its Football League, the Spanish La Liga, a feat which the present administration is interested in replicating in the country Sports diplomacy.
Senator Enoh added, it has become a very potent weapon in global diplomacy, and the President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, having recognised Nigeria’s huge sporting potentials, created the Ministry of Sports Development with a mandate to work assiduously towards ensuring that these potentials are harvested and adequately deployed so as not only to enable the country join the comity of sporting nations of the world but also provide for job creation, poverty alleviation, security and inclusiveness through women participation in sports.
“The potentials of sports in Nigeria is huge, the present administration intends to turn this potential to achievements, to go beyond the world of potentials and also make Nigeria become a renowned country in the field of sports,” he said.
The Minister who was earlier presented with a copy of an MoU that was signed by the previous administration, assured the Spanish Ambassador of Federal Government’s determination to collabobate with other nations of the world, especially in the area of sports development.
He explained that the resolutions contained in the MoU will be looked at so as to identify areas of mutual benefit to both nations
The Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Ignacio Sell stated that he was in the Ministry to congratulate the Minister on his appointment and to further seek for collaboration with Nigeria in the field of sports.
“Nigeria is a country that has high potentials in sports that can be harnessed and if adequately tapped, the country will join the commity of sporting nations.”
He expressed the willingness of Spain to collaborate with Nigeria, not only to harness its sporting potentials but also to turn them into achievements for the benefit of both countries.
