By Mario Shabazz, YeyeNews.com, September 3, 2021
Following the Nation’s no-show in any weight category of boxing during the just concluded Tokyo Olympics, the WBO, IBF and WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has called out the Nigerian Ministry of Sports and Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) over the use (or misuse) of his recent donations to the ministry.
This is coming in the wake of revelations that much of the lapses that marred Nigeria’s overall participation in the Summer event were due to Mr Sunday Dare’s (Nigeria’s Minister of Sports) diversion of funds meant for athletes’ preparation and participation. The Sports minister who is among the frontrunners for the Oyo State governorship election is said to be securing his financial war chest for the coming campaigns.
In his reaction, the Special Assistant to the Minister on Donations & Spending, Mr. Ogbeni Saed Olaitan Olanlokun, dared Anthony Joshua to back up his insinuations with evidence.
Speaking to yeyenews.com Mr. Olanlokun said, “Anthony Joshua should focus on boxing and stop giving the Honorable Minister a bad name. If he has evidence that his donations were mismanaged or diverted, then he should present his proof. Until then he should focus on his next match. The Honorable Minister has a bigger stomach than Andy Ruiz has, and if Anthony Joshua dares us with his funny outbursts again, then we will meet him in the ring.”
It remains to be seen if Anthony Joshua would react in words or actions, though some Nigerian contingent at the Olympics who suffered due to the Ministry’s lack of support told YeyeNews.com anonymously that they would agree that actions speak louder than words and would want Anthony Joshua to speak directly and loudly to the minister in the language he would understand.
