NSC Boss Olopade Rallies Taekwondo Athletes for Gold Chase at African Championship
Oru Leonard
Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has charged Nigerian taekwondo athletes to target podium finishes at the forthcoming African Taekwondo Championships in Bamako, Mali, as the country intensifies preparations for the continental tournament.
Olopade gave the charge during a working visit to the ongoing national trials of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where athletes from across the country are competing for places in Team Nigeria.
The NSC boss said the visit reflected the Commission’s inclusivity policy aimed at ensuring that every sport receives adequate support, motivation and attention to succeed at continental and global competitions.
According to him, the renewed focus on all sporting disciplines aligns with the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigerian Sports Economy (RHINSE) reforms being championed under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Olopade noted that recent achievements recorded by Nigerian athletes in cycling, weightlifting, para sports and athletics demonstrated the positive impact of the reforms on the nation’s sporting sector.
“I am happy to be here to witness these important trials which underscore the importance the Commission places on the sport of Taekwondo. Let me assure you that all your efforts to represent the country and win medals for Nigeria are not taken for granted by the Federal Government,” he said.
He urged the athletes to remain patriotic, disciplined and committed, stressing that the current administration was giving unprecedented attention to sports development in the country.
The Director General also commended the leadership of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation under President Tayo Popoola for what he described as the steady growth and stability recorded in the sport over the past year.
Speaking during the visit, Popoola said the presence of the NSC Director General would greatly boost the morale of the athletes ahead of the championship in Mali.
“What the DG has done today cannot be quantified. These are some of the missing ingredients in sports administration over the years. Hon. Bukola Olopade and Mallam Shehu Dikko have repositioned Nigerian sports on the right path,” he said.
The African Taekwondo Championships are scheduled to hold in Bamako, Mali, from May 28 to June 2, 2026.
