Olopade lacks management capacity as NSC DG, says Gombe
By Uzor Odigbo
Chairman, Board of Trustees of Athletes and other Sports Development Initiative, Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, has accused the National Sports Commission (NSC) Director General Bukola Olopade of failing in sports management.
In a statement, Gombe, who was former chairman of Gombe Athletics Association, alleged that Olopade didn’t resign his position as managing director of Nilayo, a marketing company in which he has controlling stakes, after he was appointed as DG National Sports Commission.
He said: “It is now nearly a month since Bukola Olopade, the current Director General and Chief Executive of the National Sports Commission, threatened to sue me and Channels Television if Channels did not withdraw the interview I had with them, in which I mentioned that Bukola Olopade was under investigation by the EFCC.
“He has consistently declined to honour previous invitations by the EFCC, and no action is being taken.”
Gombe challenged the NSC DG to initiate legal proceedings, stating “I informed Channels Television that if they withdrew the interview, I would challenge them on account of the threat against me.”
“It has been over a month, and Olopade lacks the courage to proceed to court; I reiterate, Olopade is under investigation. Moreover, Olopade has already commenced a defamation lawsuit against me in Lagos. Whatever that implies, we are waiting, and I have instructed my lawyers to respond. Olopade alleges that I defamed him and Nilayo Sports Marketing Company.
“Secondly, Olopade is supposed to be in jail as I write, because he has abused his office and still abusing his office as DG NSC promoting Nilayo company for which he is the Managing Director and major shareholder.
“Empirical evidence by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) shows that Olopade did not resign his position as MD of Nilayo Sports Marketing Company. He only named his wife as replacement but has not physically and practically allowed her to run the company. He is still carrying Nilayo Sports all over the place using the company to get contracts.”
According to Gombe, Olopade was seen with Enugu State Governor and officials in a group photograph where Enugu State allegedly handed over the marketing and promotion of the National Sports Festival coming to the State to Nilayo Sports Marketing Company.
“Also, there are other events he has been going round the states promoting his company. I ask, is he still the MD of Nilayo or the DG of the National Sports Commission? That’s why I asked the reason Mr. President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is keeping the likes of Bukola Olopade in charge of our Sports.”
Gombe said Nilayo Sports Marketing Company does not have the credibility to get close to sports in Nigeria.
The sports entrepreneur said president of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Chief Tonobok Okowa will be joined in the suit.
He said: “The AFN should show Nigerians the money they collected while supervising road races (Marathons in Nigeria.) AFN is entitled to royalties by World Athletics Standards. Where are the royalties, which account was it lodged ?
“The committee that manages road races in Nigeria must account for the royalties. The likes of Gabriel Okon and Tafida Gadzama are members of the committee, they have to answer us. They have to prove their innocence or negligence.
He said the greatest service Mr President can do to the country is to remove Bukola Olopade as DG of NSC.
“He is under Investigation and doesn’t have the capacity. His only hobby is traveling, threatening and shouting at people way older than him, behaving like an emperor.
“He has rendered NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko useless. We shall see in the coming days,” Gombe said.
