THE dwindling fortunes of Nigerian sports can be halted if the Nigeria Institute for Sports (NIS) is equipped and put into good use, the Ministerial Advisory Committee, which recently inspected the Institute, has said.

The committee headed by Professor Faruk Haruna, Provost of the College of Education, Minna, believes the institute, if well equipped with human and material resources, could draw up programmes that would enhance sports development in the country.

Prof Haruna disclosed that his committee discussed with the members of staff of the institute on what is needed to turn the NIS around, adding that it was clear the institute lacked the necessary ingredient to move forward.

He said: “Ours is an advisory committee and will give the government hints on how things should be done. We have seen countries with limited resources are doing well because they are better organised.”

According to Haruna, the trouble with Nigerian sports was the country’s inability to harness its potential. “It is clear that God has given Nigerians the natural talent that we need to excel but we have not been able to put to good use this natural endowments. And that is why the minister set up the committee to see if we can look at the institute and to see whether what we have on ground can take us to the promise land.”

He revealed that the partnership between the NIS and the Australia Institute for Sports would be revisited with a view of making Nigeria benefit more from the arrangement.

“Success does not happen by accident. It is something that is scientific and deliberate. I can tell you that we have everything that it takes to be at the top if we organise ourselves better. Definitely, we will talk to the government to revisit the partnership and see how we can benefit more from it.

“We would also like Nigeria to partner with other institutes in the world so that we can gain from such arrangement,” Haruna added.

He also called on the government to allow lecturers from universities in Lagos teach at the institute, which he said, needed professionals from citadel of knowledge.

The provost also called on agencies, government institutions and well-meaning individuals to play their role so that “we can become a great sporting nation again.”