Yakmut: Can he walk the talk?

Until his appointment, he was the Director of Grassroots sports development in the National Sports Commission.
Yakmut’s appointment came after a Presidential order that the former DG, Gbenga Elegbeleye should vacate his position following alleged acts of insubordination. It is said a fierce power tussle had ensued between him and the minister of sports, Tammy Danagogo.
For the acting DG, this is certainly his best moment as a sports administrator because he had never hidden his position on the need for technocrats to preside over sports.
 Consequently, his appointment has been hailed by many who also believe sports should be managed by knowledgeable professionals.
In recent times, it was only Patrick Ekeji that deservedly occupied the position of Director General of the National Sports Commission. Like the present occupant of the position, Ekeji was a former international.
The appointment of Elegbeleye to replace Ekeji when he retired from service actually drew the ire of Nigerian sports fans. Many questioned why in the midst of technocrats, a politician with shallow knowledge of sports was appointed to the office.
In addition, such people cited the appointment of two politicians to administer sports as a serious disservice to the important sector. As feared, it did not take long before the incompatibility of Danagogo and Elegbeleye to come to public notice.
It is said the last straw that broke the camel’s back was the refusal of Elgbeleye to post Yakmut to take over the Department of Elite Athletes Development as directed by the minister of sports.
The appointment of Yakmut as acting DG of the NSC on the others of President Goodluck Jonathan has rested agitations for a qualified sports technocrat to lead the commission.
It is an open secret that the ex-international volleyball player who holds three Masters degrees in Sports Administration and Physical education, Business Administration, International Law and Diplomacy, IOC Advanced Sports Management Diploma and B.S.C in Physical and Health Education has coordinated sports development activities in three geo-political zones, covering 18 states including the FCT.
It is also on record that he successfully served 13 ministers of sports in different capacities. Yakmut had served as special assistant to four ministers, personal assistant to two, and independent adviser to about six of them.
He is therefore highly respected as an ‘encyclopaedia of Nigerian sports’. Consequently, the young and dynamic sports administrator never misses any opportunity to dazzle people with his knowledge of sports.
Thus, as stakeholders welcome his appointment, expectations are really high. Nigerians believe a man who knows his onions is in the saddle and should positively transform the sector.
Interestingly, Yakmut is also aware of the great expectations from Nigerians and has vowed to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that he leaves behind legacies that would stand the test of time.
In an exclusive interview with SHOT!, the acting Director General who was the poster boy of Nigerian volleyball in his heydays disclosed his immediate plans for Nigerian sports.
He said “My area of concern is what everybody knows. We have not been able to sustain our pattern of grooming talents and that is why we have been having dearth of quality elite athletes. We have not been able to create a very good technical connect between our talents development programme and elite programme.
“You will find out that Blessing Okagbare has been running for 15 years and nobody is running faster than her. Mary Onyali did for 26 years. We are in a country that has abundant talents that can be picked with hands. So we are going to work on sustainable developmental programme through school sports and community sports”.
Yakmut also stressed the need for enhancement of athletes’ welfare and retraining of coaches saying without quality coaches, it would be impossible to nurture the raw talents that abound in the country.
“For those who are in the elite class, what is important is the quality of coaches and welfare of athletes so that they will know they are responsible for the projection of the image of the country based on the input that government has made in their welfare and development.
“There will also be a synergy between the local government authorities, state governments and the federal in the provision of standard sporting facilities”.
Yakmut who said the commission’s focus for now is on the two competitions, the All Africa Games in September in Congo Brazzaville and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil maintained that he would work closely with other stakeholders to ensure qualitative preparation and participation.
“I will bank on my professionalism, my years of experience and my network of relationship with other stakeholders within and outside the country to achieve results.
“Actually am not under any form of pressure but I keep praying to God that I am able to carry the responsibility to the best of my ability to meet the set target.
“So you can imagine if a construction engineer is on site, his prayer and determination will be to ensure that the whole construction is completed within the time frame and within the specification of the plan.
“ I will therefore draw the media closer to enable Nigerians know what is happening from time to time and ensure that no stakeholder is left behind. I will ensure they are all taken along”.
Although very optimistic Yakmut knows the magnitude of the responsibility assigned to him. “The appointment means that I have been saddled the responsibility of ensuring that Nigeria’s sports development programmes and administration is at par with best international practices.
“So I feel I have been challenged and I have a date with history. I would need every good hand that is available to be engaged in order to meet Nigerians expectations in sports,” he said.
As he rightly pointed out, expectations are high because he is coming with the kind of curriculum vitae that can easily inspire confidence and hope. In addition, he had not hidden his desire for sports to be administered by highly qualified professionals.
His appointment is therefore a golden opportunity for him to bring about the changes that several politicians have failed to deliver. For Yakmut, this is the time to walk the talk.