A record number of 530 students is expected to bag various certificates at the 8th Convocation ceremony of the National Institute for Sports NIS on 25 May 2023 in Lagos.
Announcing the figure at the NIS Multi Purpose hall, National stadium, Surulere Lagos, the Director General of NIS Professor Olawale Moronkola stated that the number of graduands was a combination of the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 sets.
Prof Moronkola also explained some transformational changes undertaken by his administration at the school, which included creation of a conducive learning environment, well equipped library and lecture rooms, upgraded facility for accomodation and building of new hostels and lecture theatre:
“Do the facility tour yourself and ask staff, if they will be sincere.
“If you go to the pitch over there, we just renovated it.
“Every area of NIS has been touched within the last two years.
“Other areas, I can’t remember, but immediately we remember, we will touch it.
“It’s not like that money is there, but it’s just the ability to manage the little resources we have.”
Attesting to the changes at NIS, a student of the Wrestling coaching department, Henry Akinwale enthused about the new look of the environment:
“We have changes of steady water supply.
“I can see some little changes, renovation and cleaning.
“At least sometimes if there is no light, they power a generator for the conference hall whereby people can come and charge their phones and watch television.
“Accomodation is ok, I can see some changes like changing of beds and cleaning.”
The much needed transformation at NIS could have arrived timely especially as some pessimists constantly question the quality of graduands from the school.
To this end the current administration, with the approval of the National Technical Board for Education, has introduced new professional courses in coaching and management studies plus national diploma in coaching and management.
Apart from the graduating students who will be conferred with their various certificates, the institution will also honour some eminent Nigerians for their contributions to sports development with Fellowship of the National Institute for Sports FNIS.
They include the Sports Minister Chief Sunday Dare, former Green Eagles captain Chief Segun Odegbami MON, business mogul Sir Adebutu Kensington, foremost sports broadcaster Larry Izamoje and sports philanthropist Mrs Modupe Lawale.
Again Prof. Moronkola sheds some light on the criteria behind the choice of the honorary recognition:
“There has never been any minister(Dare), without sounding pedantic, that has done so much for sports in Nigeria.
“He’s the one that has given us a new policy, sports as a business.
“During his tenure we had the best outing in the commonwealth games.
“You know Baba Kessington, he’s done so much.
“If you go over there, he’s doing so much about this edifice ( Lagos National Stadium.)
“Mrs Lawale, she’s one of the great financiers of special athletes in Nigeria.
“You know what Brila FM(Larry Izamoje) is doing to sports.
“Then you know that up till tomorrow Segun Odegbami is still relevant in Nigerian Sports.”
The NIS, established in 1974, has trained great products like FIFA Under 17 world cup winning coach late Yemi Tella, former Super Eagles coach late Shaibu Amodu, Fanny Amun, Chioma Ajunwa, Augustine Eguavoen and Peter Rufai.
More renowned graduates from the various coaching disciplines are expected to be churned out at next Sunday’s convocation ceremony in Lagos.
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