I am writing this on Saturday morning, 26 October 2024, immediately after my early Muslim prayers. I checked the timing for El Clasico later today, showing 8:00 p.m. Nigeria time. I was at Santiago Bernabeu when Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-0 in March 2020. It was a spectacle.
However, my involvement with the investigative panel, established by the outgoing Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, is at the forefront of my mind. At the time of writing, Enoh is the outgoing Sports Minister; by the time this is published, he may have transitioned to another Ministry.
I’ve decided to document my stewardship with the “Alao Panel,” as some media colleagues call the Paris 2024 investigative committee, to ensure transparency. Ideally, Nigerians should now be reading our report, but recent events have delayed its publication.
Following our inauguration on 25 September 2024, we worked almost daily, interviewing individuals domestically and abroad to answer our seven-point terms of reference regarding the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We presented our findings to Enoh on 22 October, and he initially scheduled a public presentation for 25 October. However, on 23 October, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced a cabinet shuffle that scrapped the Ministry of Sports Development, moving Enoh to the Ministry of Trade and Investment. Consequently, the Ministry of Sports Development ceased to exist by the time we arrived on 25 October.
That morning, I had prepared a three-page summary titled “Highlights of the Committee’s Resolutions and Recommendations.” An electronic copy was ready on my phone for distribution to the media via WhatsApp. However, the reshuffle halted our plans.
Enoh explained he didn’t want to act as ‘Minister of Sports Development’ following the Ministry’s dissolution, as it would be succeeded by a National Sports Commission. He chose to include our report in the handover notes for the incoming NSC Chairman, allowing them to handle the findings.
Timeliness is crucial. Although my committee was eager to publish our report, the Minister’s decision was logical and appropriate to avoid confusion.
This article is not an official statement on behalf of the committee or the Minister but rather a journalistic account of my experiences. Neither my committee members nor the Minister knew of this article beforehand.
So, will I share any committee findings? No, as the document remains confidential unless the government decides otherwise. I will reveal, however, that one widespread assumption about the Nigerian team’s performance at the Paris Olympics is incorrect.
Now, let me recount how I became head of the investigative committee. Enoh contacted me following his return from the Paralympics, expressing his commitment to investigate issues that damaged Nigeria’s reputation at the Games. Central to this was the omission of US-based athlete Favour Ofili from the women’s 100 meters. Enoh assured Nigerians that he wouldn’t bury the matter and that those responsible would be held accountable. He invited me to join the investigative panel.
When I asked why an internal ministry panel wasn’t appointed, he explained that the issues were more complex than they appeared, and he wanted an independent investigation. His reasoning convinced me to accept the task.
Surprisingly, I only discovered I was the Chairman from media reports. The panel included six other members from across Nigeria’s geo-political zones, a prudent choice considering the country’s ethnic sensitivities. Members included Godwin Enakhena, Hajiya Rakiya Mohammed, Dr. Abubakar Ago, Ugo-Oleka Nnenne Akudo, Aliyu Mohammed, and Barr. Victor Okangbe, who also served as our secretary.
The first criticisms of the committee came from within the sports community. I am part of several WhatsApp groups with key figures in Nigerian sports, including Family United By Sports (FUBS). Some members questioned my decision to accept the role, but others supported me privately.
Our seven Terms of Reference were as follows:
- Investigate the error in event registration for Favour Ofili at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
- Examine the issues with competition equipment for Ese Ukpeseraye, Nigeria’s cyclist at the Olympics.
- Investigate doping incidents at the Games.
- Review the contract between Actively Black Company and the Nigerian Olympic Committee.
- Examine Coach Abisola Olajuwon’s claim of unpaid allowances.
- Recommend measures to prevent future occurrences of similar issues.
- Offer strategies to ensure successful future Olympic participation for Nigeria.
The first five terms concerned specific incidents at the Olympics, while the last two covered general recommendations. We dedicated ourselves to the assignment, and if our report is made public, the Nigerian public can judge our performance. I am confident that Enoh would have implemented our recommendations had he remained the Minister. He showed admirable transparency when he appeared before the committee, setting a standard that ensured full cooperation from other respondents.
The new NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, whom I’ve known since his time in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), will receive our report. I’m optimistic he will find valuable insights in our recommendations, even if he may focus more on long-term improvements rather than past controversies.
As for Enoh, I commend his dedication to sports. He accurately identified Nigerian sports’ key challenges—poor funding, trust deficit, and infrastructure deficit—during a media parley in 2023. Dikko will likely face the same issues as he leads the NSC.
Finally, since this article is about accountability, some might wonder if committee members were paid for this assignment. (Oh! Want a share? LOL).
Dr. Mumini Alao is a Journalist, Sports Consultant, and Arbitrator.
