Following the successful passage of the bill creating the Imo State Sports Commission, the house of assembly, has subsequently cleared and eventually confirmed Chief Fan Ndubuoke chairman of the commission. The Imo State House of Assembly also confirmed the three board members of the commission (one from each of the three senatorial zones), including Nwankwo Kanu who would serve as an ex officio member. The former Super Eagles captain is also the Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to Governor Emeka Ihedioha on Sports.
With this development, the commission upon inauguration, will supervice 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.
As a matter of fact, Ndubuoke’s profile is both intimidating and exciting. Academically, like most Nigerians who started life in their rural communities, Ndubuoke started off at his village’s local school named Town School Mbutu, Aboh Mbaise, for his First School Leaving Certificate. Comming out in flying colours, young but determined Ndubuoke enrolled into the then prestigious Enyiogugu Secondary School and had immaculate performance at the 1978 WAEC result when he passed out from the school. A man who cherishes academic excellence and hard work, Ndubuoke was in University of Calabar where he bagged a Master of Science degree (M. SC.) in Political Science . Earlier, and in the same institution, he had worked assiduously to have in his kitty, the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree. Before his UNICAL adventures, Ndubuoke had painstakingly and 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.
Professionally, Ndubuoke’s activities are well accomplished. His landmarks achievements as a reporter with the Imo Broadcasting Service now Imo Broadcasting Corporation where he attained to the position of a senior reporter, are well documented. 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 confidence and immeasurable respect for felow professionals as well as ultimate loyalty to his superiors and employers.
A well trained administrator, the Imo State Sports Commission boss was a board member of NFF between 1992 and 1996 where he was directly involved 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 the late indifatigable 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, during the administration of Chief Achike Udenwa. When Chief Ikedi Ohakim emerged as governor, he appointed Ndubuoke 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. He is now back as the sports commission chairman. The import here is, Ndubuoke has meritoriously served all successive governments since the return of the democracy in 1999 and this is based on merit and qualification. Most remarkably, Ndubuoke was the general manager, media and communication, 8 All Africa Games otherwise known as COJA, hosted in Abuja in 2003. Before now, he was also the general manager, public relations, of the NCAA, Lagos.
In personal capacity as a businessman, Ndubuoke is the chief executive officer of Mr. Fan’s Fast Foods which was launched in 1999. A Knight of St. Christopher, Anglican Communion, he is married with three kids.
