Bukola Olapade

The President Paralympics Committee Nigeria (PCN), Sunday Odebode, has lauded the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over the appointment of a season sports administrator, Chief Bukola Olopade, as the Director General of the National Sports Commission.

Olopade, who was a successful former Commissioner for Sports in Ogun State, was announced as the new NSC DG on Thursday by President Tinubu.

His appointment comes barely three weeks after Mallam Shehu Dikko was named the Chairman of the newly established Sports Commission, following the scrapping of the Ministry of Sports Development.

Odebode, in the statement he personally signed and made available by the Secretary General Suleiman Issa on Friday, described the appointment of the former commissioner for youth and sports, Ogun State, as the right peg in the right hole.

"With the appointment of Olopade by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it shows the commitment and genuine interests of the presidency to the rapid growth of sports in the country, and I believe he will bring his wealth of experience to bear on the Commission.

"As a major stakeholder in sport, the PCN board is pledging its support to the duo of Mallam Shehu Dikko and the newly appointed DG of the NSC," the statement read in part.

The newly appointed Director General, National Sports Commission BukolaOlapade, is MD/CEO of NILAYO Sports Management Limited and currently the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee LOC for the upcoming National Sports Festival, which is scheduled to be held by January 2025 in Ogun State.

Academic Community Raises Concern Over Death Threat On Oyosoro

Dr Oyosoro

The recent death threat and exile of a Nigerian scholar, Dr. Felix Oyosoro has generated widespread reaction among Nigeria's academic community and beyond. 

Dr. Oyosoro, a respected academic with extensive research contributions, has been forced to seek refuge abroad after enduring repeated threats related to his scholarly work.

President of the Socio-political Philosophers Association of Nigeria, Prof. Ephraim Essien, has sharply criticized the Nigeria Police for their failure to protect Dr. Oyosoro stating that his forced departure is a symptom of a broader, growing assault on Nigeria’s intellectual community. 

Essien highlighted that scholars, researchers, and intellectuals in Nigeria are increasingly becoming targets due to their work adding that the lack of adequate protection will further  jeopardizes the nation’s academic integrity and long-term intellectual development.

Prof. Essien further lamented that the inability of the Nigeria Police to secure the safety of scholars like Dr. Oyosoro has significant implications for the future of academic freedom in the country.

The Socio-political Philosophers Association, however, called for practical solutions, including the creation of a dedicated task force within the Nigeria Police to address threats against scholars and the introduction of legal protections for academics facing violence due to their research.

Essien also emphasized the need for Nigerian lawmakers to act urgently to ensure the safety of intellectuals, warning that without such measures, the country risks losing its brightest minds to exile, depriving Nigeria of valuable contributions in fields like social policy, governance, and public health.

Adding,  Dr. Sophie Quintin, co-founder of the West Africa Peace and Security Network (WAPSN), condemned the systemic risks faced by African scholars, calling for Nigerian authorities to act decisively to protect their intellectuals. 

She further stressed that scholars must be allowed to pursue their research free from fear, highlighting the essential role intellectuals play in guiding societal progress and development.

Prof. Essien and the Socio-political Philosophers Association, however, urged Nigerian authorities to prioritize the protection of scholars stating that without adequate protections, the country risks stifling the very intellectual discourse that is critical for social and political change. 

“A nation’s progress depends on its ability to foster and protect thought leaders.”