By
Our Reporter
THE Youth and Sports Minister, Barrister Solomon Dalung on Tuesday hosted the National U- 19 Cricket team for qualifying for next year’s ICC U-19 Cricket
World Cup.
At a modest reception organized by the Ministry of Youth
and Sports for the Junior Yellow Greens, Barrister Dalung praised the
team and leadership of the Nigeria Cricket Federation for making another
historic record.
“The success of the National U-19 Cricket team coming at
this transition period of this administration is one of the greatest packages I
have received as a Minister in this Ministry.
“The face of sports has changed within three and half
years despite those who have inundated the social media, trying to contradict
the narrative that sports in Nigeria has taken its proper place globally. This
is another historic feat in 100 years.
“After the D’Tigress made history by being the first
African team to qualify for the World Cup quarter finals in 100 years, the
Junior Yellow Greens have beaten another 100 year- record by qualifying for the
ICC U-19 World Cup since 1904. Nothing would have brought this kind of
revolution in sports apart from the democratization of the National Sports
Federations.”
Barrister Dalung recalled that in three and half years,
Nigerian athletes have won over 700 medals. He however stated that funding has
been the bane of Sports in the country.
“The Ministry has not enjoyed good funding. I know what
the team went through but this glory comes to Nigeria. We must invest much
funds in sports to create hope for our young people. Government must take
sports more seriously and the National Assembly must budget money for sports
because budgeting money for sports is budgeting money for youth development.”
Barrister Dalung also congratulated the President of the
Nigeria Cricket Federation Prof Yahaya Ukwenya for providing good leadership
and urged the athletes to be determined and focused while thanking them for
making the country proud.
In his remarks, the NCF President thanked the Ministry
for receiving the players who he described as heroes.
“Nigeria has played Cricket for over 100 years and if we
won any tournament, it was mostly in West Africa. We found it difficult to cope
with the quality of cricket from the Southern and Eastern parts of the
continent.
“What these young men have done is to open the door for
us to say yes, we can play. Parents can now allow their wards to go out and
learn to play cricket and schools that rejected us before will now pay
attention to the game of cricket”.
Prof Ukwenya promised that this kind of performance will
not be the last as the Junior Yellow Greens will be going to the World Cup to
make a statement and defend the integrity of the nation.
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