Sports Commission DG Bukola Olopade Praised for Resolving Wrestling Dispute in Bayelsa
Sports Commission DG Bukola Olopade Praised for Resolving Wrestling Dispute in Bayelsa
Charity Onah
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has garnered widespread commendation for his swift intervention in the crisis within Nigeria’s wrestling community, which sparked a protest in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Monday.
The protest, organised by the Bring Back Amas Movement (BBAM), followed the suspension of Olympian Amas Daniel by the Nigeria Wrestling Federation. The group, led by Comrade Sikpi Linus, had marched to the Bayelsa Government House demanding Daniel’s reinstatement.
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Coincidentally, Olopade was in Bayelsa on an official visit to inspect the state’s readiness for a potential bid to host the 2028 National Sports Festival. Witnessing the dispute firsthand, he stepped in immediately to mediate between the parties. His intervention, according to stakeholders, helped calm tensions and led to a resolution acceptable to all parties.
Speaking after the meeting, Comrade Linus described Olopade’s role as timely and reassuring. “Special thanks must go to the dogged Director General of the National Sports Commission, Mr. Bukola Olopade, who brought his expertise to bear in resolving the issue he met coincidentally on his visit. We are grateful for the show of leadership,” he said.
The group also lauded the contributions of Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, whose involvement was instrumental in dousing the crisis. In the same vein, the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, was praised for his cooperation in reaching a peaceful settlement.
Olopade’s decisive intervention, described by many as a demonstration of his “fatherly qualities,” has further strengthened calls that he is the right man for the job of leading Nigerian sports administration into a new era.
Sports Commission DG Bukola Olopade Praised for Resolving Wrestling Dispute in Bayelsa