Nigeria government to honor 60 Nigerian sports icons and personalities, says Sunday Dare

The Government of Nigeria is all set to honor 60 Nigerian sports icons and personalities who have won awards for Nigeria and those that have made a meaningful impact on sports development in the last sixty years, according to a news report by Premium Times.

The government has included this event as a part of activities organized to celebrate Nigeria's Diamond jubilee.

While receiving the report of the Committee set up to collate the votes by Nigerians for the 60 awardees, Sunday Dare, Minister of Youth and Sports Development has said that the event was initiated to reward excellence and hard work.

"We initiated this award because of the need to reward our heroes and heroines who have sweated to put the name of Nigeria on the world map. Unfortunately, most of these patriots have died, but we are also consoled that many of them are still alive.

"Another import of the award is that it will encourage the younger athletes and indeed Nigerians in other fields to always give their best to the country, knowing that their efforts would be appreciated by the country".

Dare has appealed to other deserving personalities who may not have been voted for in the first edition to be patient, assuring that they could also be rewarded in subsequent editions.

"I appreciate the effort the collation committee at arriving at these 60 names because the truth is that there are so many more deserving Nigerians but for the fact that we wanted to restrict the number to 60 to commemorate the Diamond jubilee of our country". Dare stated.