The National Body of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has honoured veteran sports journalist Ilyasu Idris Gusau with the Veteran Sports Journalist Award ahead of its 60th anniversary celebration later this month.
The award was formally presented to Gusau on monday by the Zamfara State Chairman of SWAN, Comrade Murtala Rabiu and the Treasurer of the State SWAN, Adeniyi Salaudeen, in recognition of his outstanding contributions, professionalism, and enduring service to the growth and integrity of sports journalism in Nigeria.
“Over the years, your commitment, mentorship, and passion for the craft have inspired generations of journalists and enriched the nation’s sporting narrative,” Rabiu stated during the presentation.
“As a valued pioneer and pillar of our profession, this recognition is a token of appreciation for your sacrifices and legacy in promoting excellence, fairness, and credibility in sports reporting.”
In his response, Mr. Ilyasu Idris Gusau expressed gratitude to SWAN for the recognition, describing it as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“I want to appreciate SWAN for this honour and assure you of my full support for the 60th anniversary celebration,” he said.
Gusau also reflected on the challenges facing the sports sector in Zamfara and Northern Nigeria, noting that the lack of investment and attention from key stakeholders has slowed development.
“One of the problems we face in Zamfara sports is that most of our respected personalities don’t want to support the sector. When I was SWAN Chairman, we did all we could, but the focus was only on football while other sports were ignored.
I hope that with the new leadership, things will change. There’s a huge difference between sports development in this part of the country compared to the South,” he added.
He urged journalists to play a stronger role in sensitizing the public on the importance of sports, which he believes could help attract more support and investment.
“If journalists help educate the people on the importance of sports, maybe our people will support sporting activities more actively,” he stated.
Ilyasu Idris Gusau, who is a former Chairman of the Zamfara State Sports Writer Association of Nigeria, Zamfara Table Tennis Association, former NUJ Chairman and former Managing Director of Legacy Newspaper, was among a select group of distinguished individuals chosen for recognition during SWAN’s 60th anniversary celebration.
