By Saidu Abubakar
The Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, has described as commendable, the designation of the institution and five other universities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones by the Federal Government as Centres of Excellence in Sports.
As contained in a statement by the Director, Directorate of Public Affairs in the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Auwalu Umar, the other five universities designated as Centres of Excellence in Sports are University of Nigeria, Nsukka; University of Benin; University of Ibadan; University of Jos; and Muhammadu Buhari University, Maiduguri.
The decision to establish the Sports Centres of Excellence across the country’s six geopolitical zones was announced in Abuja last week by the Hon. Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, CON, when he inaugurated a 20-member National Sports-Education Review Committee.
Commenting on the development, the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, said for ABU, the designation of the university as a Centre of Excellence in Sports was both an honour and a call to higher responsibility.
“This recognition is most deserving. Ahmadu Bello University has a long and proud tradition in sports, having produced some of Nigeria’s finest athletes, coaches, and sports administrators over the years.
“Beyond academics, the university has always believed in the power of sports as a unifying force, a tool for youth development, and a vehicle for building character and resilience”, Prof. Ahmed said.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the statement added, the institution’s facilities, history, and human resources made ABU a natural choice as a Centre of Excellence in Sports.
The Vice-Chancellor commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration for the foresight and assured that ABU would justify the confidence reposed in the institution by delivering excellence in sports for the benefit of Nigeria.
He also said the decision to establish such centres aligned perfectly with the broad reform agenda of the Hon. Minister of Education, who had consistently emphasized the need to diversify the functions of universities beyond classroom teaching.
The Minister, according to him, had championed curriculum reforms, skills development, innovation, and the integration of entrepreneurship and industry linkages in higher education.
Prof. Ahmed stressed that sports today was no longer leisure alone, as it was a multi-billion-dollar industry globally.
“Nigeria has the talent, the energy, and the youthful population to be a global sports powerhouse. What has been missing is a coordinated system that combines research, training, infrastructure, and talent management”, he also said.
He explained that centres of excellence such as the one designated in ABU could bridge that gap by serving as platforms for innovation, professional training, and commercialisation of sports.
The Vice-Chancellor expressed confidence that if properly harnessed, the initiative could stimulate job creation, attract investment, and diversify Nigeria’s economy through sports.
