Chief Fan Ndubuoke chairman, renowned sports journalists and Sports Administrator, has been cleared and confirmed the Chairman of Imo State Sports Council of the commission by Imo State House of Assembly.
His emergence followed the passage of a bill creating Imo State Commission by Imo Assembly.
The Imo State House of Assembly also confirmed three board members of the commission (one from each of the three senatorial zones), including former Super Eagles Captain, Nwankwo Kanu who would serve as an ex officio. He is also the Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to Governor Emeka Ihedioha on Sports.
With this development, the commission upon inauguration, will supervise the activities of all the 27 sports associations in the state. It is the expectation of the sports loving people of Imo State that Ndubuoke, a vastly experienced and well-travelled sports administrator, will bring his wealth of experience and rich contact to bear on sports in the state.
Mr. Ndubuoke Ndubuoke holds a Master of Science degree (M.SC.) in Political Science in University of Calabar. Earlier, and in the same institution, he also bagged Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree. Before his UNICAL adventures, Ndubuoke had successfully acquired a PGD in Project Management from FUTO, Advanced Diploma in Journalism (ADJ) from Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Lagos, and a Diploma in Mass Communication, UNILAG.
As a reporter with the Imo Broadcasting Service now Imo Broadcasting Corporation, he rose to the position of a senior reporter. When the Champion newspapers came on board in 1988, he was a pioneer member of the editorial team in the sports desk. A former national chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Ndubuoke rose to the high command of journalism profession with his elevation as the managing editor of Sports Link newspapers and within this period, he got elected as the secretary general of African Sports Journalists Union (ASJU) and was also Africa’s executive member of International Sports Press Association (AIPS). Indeed, from a humble beginning, Ndubuoke had defined his targets and tirelessly worked towards them with vigour, absolute trust in the Lord, unrelenting self-confident and immeasurable respect for felow professionals as well as ultimate loyalty to his superiors and employers.
The Imo State Sports Commission boss was a board member of NFF between 1992 and 1996 where he played a strategic role in the development of football in the country. He served as the chairman of the media committee of NFF. Notably, he was a member of the five – man national task force that ensured Nigeria’s qualification for the country’s first World Cup appearance in USA ’94 under the chairmanship of late Commodore Emeka Omeruah.
He equally served as the Special Assistant (SA) to the Minister of Sports between 1997 and 1999. Ndubuoke was the Imo State Football Association chairman between 2003 and 2005, under Chief Achike Udenwa administration. When Chief Ikedi Ohakim emerged as governor, he was appointed General-Manager of Heartland Football Club and the team lifted five trophies, including a back -to- back feat in the Federation Cup in 2011 and 2012, incidentally, with Rochas Okorocha as governor.
With his confirmation as the sports commission chairman, there is pomp in the sports community with high expectation that he would revitalise sports in the state following the dearth of sporting activities occasioned by the fact that it was never in conformity with the immediate past government programme.
Ndubuoke who was a Knight of St. Christopher of Anglican was also the General Manager, Public Relations, of the NCAA, Lagos. With his history in the media and Public Relations, bridging communication gap, which has always spelt confusion in most organisations would expectedly be managed to avoid the bottle-necks in accessing information when needed.
It is not out of place for Ndubuoka to bring to bear his business acumen which has enabled him to sustain his personal businesses for many years. His exposure in sports, including his role as the general Manager, Media and |Communications, 8 All African Games (COJA), which Nigeria was the host in 2003, will readily enrich his decisions and policies his commissions would be churning out in the coming days.
There is no doubt that the challenges before him are enormous. Dan Anyiam Stadium and other facilities are dilapidated condition. The motivation of sportsmen and women in the state are at the lowest ebb.
There have been complaints of failure to give them their allowance while representing the states in competitions. This has brought about slur of the zeal and inspiration that Imo athletes were known for, which led them into winning so many laurels for the state.
NewsTrack Nigeria heartily felicitates with Chief Fan Ndubuoke and wish him a very fruitful tenure as he takes charge and lead out in the resolve of the present Government of Rt.Hon. Emeka Ihedioha to bring back the glory days Imo used to be known in the sports world.
Beyond bringing glory to the state, sports will surely create room for many Imo youths to take some sporting events as career path.
We wish other members of the Board all the best.
