The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), H.E. Comrade Philip Shaibu, has expressed the institute’s readiness to partner with the National Sports Association for Judiciary (NSAJ) to promote physical fitness, research, and training among members of the judiciary.
Shaibu made this known while receiving members of the association on a courtesy visit to the institute, where he welcomed them on behalf of the management and staff of NIS.
Speaking during the visit, the former Edo State Deputy Governor emphasized that physical fitness is essential for professionals in every sector, including the judiciary, noting that the nature of their work requires both mental and physical stability.
He recalled his personal experience in sports, stating that he once played football against the Court of Appeal team and also participated in inter-ministerial games in Abuja during his time as a player with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before later joining the Nigeria Prison Service.
“I can attest to the fact that the judiciary is not just about carrying files. Fitness is very critical, and I know the judiciary has never taken it for granted. We are ready to partner with you in research and training because the relationship between NIS and the judiciary will be useful and beneficial to both sectors,” Shaibu said.
He noted that ongoing reforms at the institute align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, adding that the institute is currently restructuring its curriculum to strengthen capacity building in the sports sector.
According to him, NIS is introducing physiotherapy and expanding training programmes for paramedics, stressing that physiotherapy is not only important for athletes but also for professionals across various sectors of society, including the judiciary.
Shaibu further highlighted the need for Nigeria to rethink its approach to sports development, stating that the country possesses enormous talents and potential that must be harnessed through proper planning and institutional reforms.
“We are too big and too talented as a country to keep hoping for miracles whenever we go for major competitions. Those of us given the mandate to turn sports around must think outside the box and take ownership of the responsibility,” he said.
He added that the institute is working to transform NIS into a centre of excellence, in line with the directive of President Tinubu, noting that the reforms would ultimately benefit the entire society.
Shaibu also stressed that sports has evolved beyond social recreation and has become a major economic sector, describing it as part of a global multi-billion-dollar industry that Nigeria must strategically tap into.
Earlier in his remarks, the President of the National Sports Association for Judiciary, Sunday Ndah, commended Shaibu for his contributions to sports development, particularly during his tenure as Deputy Governor of Edo State.
Ndah noted that Shaibu’s role in supporting Bendel Insurance Football Club and reforming the Edo State Sports Commission demonstrated his capacity to drive meaningful change in the sports sector.
He explained that the association, which was established in 1994 under the leadership of the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammed Bello, serves as the umbrella body responsible for organizing the annual Chief Justice of Nigeria Sports Competition for the entire judiciary across the country.
According to him, the visit to the NIS was part of efforts to strengthen collaboration and improve the organization of future judicial sports tournaments.
Ndah added that the association had previously engaged the leadership of the National Sports Commission as part of its broader stakeholder consultations aimed at enhancing the quality and impact of judicial sports activities nationwide.
He emphasized that members of the judiciary actively participate in sports, citing examples of legal practitioners who have represented Nigeria in national sports teams, further underscoring the importance of fitness within the legal profession.
Signed:
Ben Ogbemudia,
S. A. Media,
Office of the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, National Institute for Sports.
