President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed ex-Super Eagles star, Daniel Amokachi, his special assistant on sports.
Amokachi’s new appointment is coming about five months after he was initially named as Nigeria’s Football Ambassador by President Buhari.
A statement issued by the media office to the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, on Thursday said the appointment of Amokachi has since taken effect.
The press release confirmed that a letter of appointment dated August 17 and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has since been handed to the former Everton and Besiktas forward.
The statement said.
I am pleased to inform you that Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved your appointment as Special Assistant on Sports.
Amokachi is expected to advise the President on all sports matters.
Meanwhile, sports stakeholders have expressed different opinions on the appointment of the former Super Eagles forward.
Mutiu Adepoju, Amokachi’s former national teammate, described the appointment as good news for ex-footballers, while former Nigeria Taekwondo Federation president, George Ashiru, also applauded the appointment.
However, sports journalist and administrator, Godwin Enakhena, questioned the appointment, saying it was not in the best interest of sports development in the country.
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Enakhena said:
For me, it’s a waste of time. This is not what we need to take sports out of where it is right now. If Amokachi is good enough, let him be appointed as the sports minister. Don’t give a portfolio where he doesn’t have any control.
We know the problem in our country, sports is not taken seriously. The question is, who will Amokachi report to? Is it the sports minister or the President?
Is (Sunday) Dare not reporting to the President as far as sports issues are concerned? I think there is no major responsibility attached to the portfolio.
Amokachi began his career with Ranchers Bees Football Club of Kaduna, and played for Club Brugge of Belgium, Besiktas of Turkey, Everton of England and Colorado Rapids.
He was part of the 1994 squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and also went on to the World Cup in the United States the same year.
Two years later, Amokachi helped Nigeria to the historical gold medal in the football event of the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.
