On the back of the visit to the Nigerian High Commission in Rwanda recently, the Nigeria Diaspora Sports Council continued in this vein, extending its road show to the High Commission at Nigeria House in London.
The Chairman of NDSC, Dr Tunde Adelakun led a small delegation of the Council to meet with officials and eventually the High Commissioner of Nigeria to the UK, Ambassador Mohammed Maidugu.
Having been warmly received, Chairman Dr ‘Tunde accompanied by NDSC Leadership Board member and Olympic medalist Marilyn Okoro were led into audience with the High Commission’s Chief of Protocol Mr Shehu Usman Bello and the Head of Information Culture and Sport, Mrs Olamide Adediran.
The meeting was a robust exchange of ideas where Chairman Tunde outlined the motives behind the establishment of NDSC and the progress the body has made to date. He spoke about the importance of having a close relationship with the Nigerian High Commission in all countries through which the word of how diaspora Nigerians can get involved in developing a viable and successful ecosystem of sport in Nigeria.
Mr Shehu of the High Commission showed brilliant grasp of the situation of sports in Nigeria and how we can bridge the gap with the hugely successful sporting nations making use of athletes in diaspora.
Highlighting the visit was the attendance and intervention of Olympic medalist Marilyn Okoro, whose story of despite representing Great Britain in various competitions for over 20 years, never lost her passion for the country of her origin – Nigeria. ‘I may not have grown up in Nigeria but I know that my Nigerian roots, my genes and the unique distinctive attributes of the average Nigerian gave me the power and ability to do what I did for Team GB and I really want to give back and mentor the next generation of Nigerian athletes’.
Mr Shehu and Mrs Adediran had many suggestions on how the NDSC can make even more impact in the sporting system in Nigeria.
Afterwards the NDSC Chairman Dr Tunde was invited for a discussion with Acting High Commissioner Maidugu who expressed excitement at what NDSC stands for.
NDSC is planning to hold a summit on sport and the state of sport in Nigeria from a diaspora perspective. This is potentially scheduled to hold later in the year and the Nigerian High Commission have expressed their interest to partner with NDSC and attend the ‘Heads Together’ event.