Shaibu Vows to Restore NIS to International Standard
Kunle Adewale
As it has become the ritual for successive newly appointed directors and sports ministers, former Edo State Deputy Governor, Phillip Shaibu, who assumed duty recently as the new director of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), has pledged to reform the foremost sports institute in the country for it to reclaim the vision for which it was founded.
Shaibu yesterday went on inspection tour of the NIS facilities inside the decaying National Stadium Complex in Surulere, Lagos.
After the on-the-spot-assessment of the NIS, Shaibu, admitted that there is a lot of work to be done at the institute.
“There is a lot of work to be done, but the cheering news is that the structures are still strong. What we need is a comprehensive renewal and not just cosmetic, but deep-rooted reform that addresses infrastructure, training curriculum, welfare of staff, and the general system,” the newly appointed institute chief admitted.
Unlike a former sports minister who pledged to turn the NIS into a five-star hotel for the camping of the country’s athletes, Shaibu insisted that for him and his team to be able to carry out President Bola Tinubu’s directives for a total reform in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, there is the need for a complete overhaul to meet international standards.
When reminded that many of his predecessors had made this kind of promises with little or nothing to show for it at the end of their tenures in office, Shaibu promised that his approach would be different from past administrations.
“My approach will be different because I have the will.” He likened the state of the institute to dry bones in the holy scriptures which could be revived. “The situation is not as bad as the valley of dry bones. If there’s a will, then there’s a way. With commitment and teamwork, NIS will work again,” he opined.
Shaibu said he was ready yo go as far as pushing for legislative amendments to give NIS more autonomy and funding flexibility. “To get the kind of results we want in sports, certain bureaucratic bottlenecks must be addressed. That may include changes in policy and funding structure,” he added.
He indeed promised that staff welfare would be a central part of his reform process. “You can’t drive excellence when your workforce is demoralized. We’ll look at welfare, training, and performance incentives as part of the broader reform.”
Asked on how he hope to address the poor budgetary allocation to the institute, he said plans would be put in place at ensuring NIS move from the idea of reliance on ministry funding alone and explore new models and partnerships for funding, which is the international best practice.
The Director also promised broader consultations with staff and students to have a better understanding of the challenges they are going through. “We are not just inspecting buildings. I will meet with staff, management, and students to hear their perspectives and chart a new course. Collaboration is key,” he said.
“We’re not inventing a new vision; we’re here to implement and renew what already exists. And with the support of the staff, the media, and all stakeholders, we’ll bring NIS back to the top,” he concluded.
