Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) President Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel visited the Team Nigeria athletes at the Games Village located at the University El Boni, Ànnaba, Algeria.
Tony Nezianya, Public Relations Officer of NOC said a new era of seamless cooperation between the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) is fostering a positive and focused environment for Team Nigeria’s athletes and officials.
According to him, the partnership is already yielding tangible results at the maiden Africa Schools Sports.
He, however, noted that the NOC and NSC have provided team uniforms to ensure that the contingent is well-kitted.
“The collaborative approach has smoothed preparations, allowing the team to concentrate on the country’s pride”, he said.
Nezianya pointed out that Gumel, the sole member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), also expressed his optimism.
“This is what it ought to be. We are ending the mutual suspicion that tended to produce negative results in the past.
“He noted that the disunity that threatened previous campaigns, such as the last Olympic Games, is now a thing of the past,” Nezianya quoted Gumel as saying.
Similarly, the strategic planning of the NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko and Director-General Bukola Olopade were commended as they were instrumental in arranging a direct charter flight for Team Nigeria to Annaba.
This decisive action allowed the team to bypass significant logistical hurdles, as the alternative would have involved an arduous connecting journey from Algiers.
