NIGERIA @60: Sports Ministry to celebrate 60 sporting icons for 60 days

As part of its plans ahead of Nigeria’s 60th Independence celebration, the Ministry of Youth and Sports says it would celebrate 60 sporting icons in the country.

The Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, made this known to the media at the National Principals’ Cup in Lagos this week as recalled by the Punch.

Dare, who said the Ministry would be partnering with selected Television stations to do this, added that it is a way of inspiring young and aspiring athletes in the country.

“This country has enjoyed sporting glory in 60 years,” he said.

“We won gold medals at the Atlanta Olympics (in 1996) and we’ve seen so many of our sportsmen and women represent this country and also have become global stars.

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“The ministry, in partnership with a couple of TV stations, will start the selection of 60 sports icons, people will submit and we will pick 60 of them.

“We are going to have a roll-up banner top to bottom at the velodrome in Abuja, of all the selected 60 sports icons who made this country proud, some dead and some still alive.

“We are also going to have audio running commentaries that will talk of their exploits, and this will run for 60 days.

“We hope to have some of these icons present at the velodrome so that they can speak to the public.

“This is meant to inspire our young ones, to see the living legends who have made our country proud. But for us, it is going to be a celebration of these icons who are still alive, and for those that are dead.”

Nigeria will be celebrating its 60th anniversary as an independent nation on the 1st of October this year.

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