Mallam Alhassan Yakmut, a former Director-General of the defunct National Sports Commission (NSC), has called for critical steps toward establishing gender equality in the sports sector.
Yakmut made the call Saturday in Abuja at the Women and sports Dialogue 2023, themed, ‘Developing a viable commercial and impactful blueprint for women football development,’ organized by FAME Foundation.
He said to achieve gender equality, the country must concentrate on attracting more media attention, securing sponsorship, and extensive interaction with fans.
“It is crucial that we keep working to give women in sports an even playing field. They must have the same chances and recognition as their male counterparts.
“The Nigerian Female Football league and development require reorganization, repackaging, and constructive marketing management, as well as a qualitative club management system with full government, and start-up capital under the youth empowerment programme,” he said.
Senior Special Assistant to the Minister for Youth and Sports development, Amb. Mary Onyali said: “Insufficient funds is one of the issues many sports team face. Men’s team most times receive the majority sponsorship and television deals. Most companies are hesitant to support women’s support, and those that do boe it as moral obligation father than an investment. Women’s sports are developing and can reach greater levels with the appropriate financial assistance.”
Speaking earlier, Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello, Executive Director of FAME foundation, said: “What we are doing here today is charting a new cause for women’s game and athletes.
“This aims to bring all relevant stakeholders in the Nigerian sports ecosystem to share experiences and discuss how women’s sports can be better and also how sports can be used as combined powerful tools to push the gender equality and equity narrative to the benefits of the women’s game and the athletes.”
She commended MacArthur foundation, Australian High Commission and the Nigerian Football Federation for “partnering with us to achieve so much.”
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