Mercy Nku lauds Enoh’s appointment as Sports Minister

Former Nigerian international sprinter, Mercy Nku has hailed the appointment of Senator John Enoh as Minister of Sports Development by President Bola Tinubu.

Nku, the second Nigerian woman after Mary Onyali to run in the 100m final at the World Athletics Championships, says Enoh possesses the administrative acumen and experience to lift Nigerian sports out of the woods.

“Senator Enoh has been in the House of Representatives and the Senate and the experiences he has garnered there, especially with oversight duties are not one that can be bought on the shelf,” the Cross River-born sprinter who won four gold medals at the African Youth Championships in Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire in 1995, stated.

Nku said Senator Enoh is known across Cross River State as an achiever and a thoroughbred administrator who does not take decisions without due consultations.

“I think President Tinubu has done the right thing by bringing a man who pays attention to details as Senator Enoh to my constituency. The Sports sector has failed to grow for over 40 decades now and it will require a man who understands how to manage and inspire people to begin the renaissance the sector urgently needs.”

The two-time Nigeria champion and fourth woman to break 11.10 seconds in the 100m said the recent disappointments Nigerians suffered at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary will show the Sports Minister how badly we have fared in sports.

She noted: “If I am not mistaken, we have returned from the World Athletics Championships 11 times without winning a medal out of 19 times we have participated since we made our debut at the inaugural edition of the competition in 1983.

“During my time we had over 10 athletes competing in the international circuit, athletes who are not pushovers but today, instead of having more, the number has been reduced to just two who we can rely on for an appearance in the final of major, global championships and Games.

“There is no gainsaying that Senator Enoh will need the support of all stakeholders in sports, especially former Nigerian internationals across all sports and that is why I am delighted we have a man who is ready to listen and discus issues as Sports Minister,” added the Canada-based sprinter.