Sport

Athletes Slug it Out as Rufus Giwa Poly Hosts NIPOGA

By Web News 972

The biennial 21st edition of the Nigeria Polytechnic Games, NIPOGA, has been described as another key avenue to use sports to foster unity, and peace and discover talents among Nigerian youths.

This was the submission of eminent personalities who graced the opening ceremony of the games at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo sports complex.

Radio Nigeria gathered that the ancient city of Owo in Ondo State hosted student officials and other stakeholders from other parts of the country for the 21st NIPOGA, an event, that many agreed was necessary to foster unity among Nigerian youths.

The President, NIPOGA and the Rector, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo, Mr Adebola Ogundahunsi, said the target of this year’s edition was not just hosting, participating or winning, but, creating opportunities for young Nigerians to come together, and interact and also exhibit their skills and talents.

Also speaking, the Olowo of Owo Oba Ajibade Ogunoye called for more games and programmes that would bring people from different cultures together, saying such would further promote the unity of the nation.

Oba Ogunoye called on relevant stakeholders not to ignore sports as a vital tool that could transform youths elevating them from the grassroots to stardom.

Earlier, Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwaroimi Akeredolu represented by the commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Mr Bamidele Ologun said the state would not stop investing massively in youths.

A total of forty polytechnics, both  Government and private including  the Federal Polytechnic Auchi, Plateau state Polytechnic Barkin Ladi Jos, Nuhu Bamili Polytechnic Zaria are currently participating in nine different sports which included Basketball, Squash, football, Badminton, Volleyball among others

The 21st NIPOGA ends on Saturday, January 21st.

Oriola  Afolabi

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Sport

Delta State Sports Commission Assures Athletes Of Adequate Welfare

By Web News 943

The Chairman Delta State Sports Commission Mr. Tonobuk Okowa, has promised to replicate the successes achieved at Team Delta to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN as he guns for the leadership position of the body.

The sports promoter and administrator made this known in a statement in Asaba, signed by his Media Aide Mr. Jovial Agbagwu, on the forthcoming AFN Executive Elections slated for June 14.

Mr. Okowa who has orchestrated consecutive victories with Team Delta at recent National Sports Festivals and National Youth Games, assured athletes and officials of adequate welfare package, adding that homegrown talents would also have the opportunity to display their skills at national and continental levels.

On the issue of funding, He said he would create programmes that would attract private sector partnerships to provide funding for athletic schemes, which would reduce overdependence on the government for funding.

Chief Tonobuk Okowa also pledged to unite factions in the AFN and to chart a new dawn for the athletics federation.

Egweree Oghenero

Sport

Ogun Govt. Assures Athletes of Support for Exploits

By Web News 714

Ogun State Government has restated its determination to continue to create an enabling environment for sports to thrive.

The Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Dr Oluwadare Kehinde stated this at the Moshood Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, while receiving athletes who won laurels for the state in various sporting competitions such as Boxing, Cricket, Karate, Para-Table tennis and Wrestling.

Dr Kehinde, who commended the athletes for the successes recorded in various sporting events, said necessary arrangements would be made to boost their morale as well as motivate them for greater exploits.

Assuring that efforts would be intensified to boost the sector at the grassroots level, the youth and sports Commissioner said the state

government’s investment in youth development had been yielding results. 

Also, the Director of Sports, Ogun State Sports Council, Mrs. Iyabo Rotimi thanked the administration of Governor Abiodun for its efforts towards sports development.

Responding, the Boxing coach, Yinka Adeoti said the sports council would continue to expose athletes to more competitions to enable them to compete favourably with foreign counterparts.

Olusegun Folarin

Sport

Improving Welfare of the Nation’s Athletes

By Web News 625

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria in the first quarter of the outgoing year, many sectors including sports have suffered set back.

While some sectors are gradually picking up, the sports sector is yet to recover from the adverse effects of the COVID-19 lockdown, unlike in some countries.

To say the fact, many indigenous athletes who do not have other means of livelihood have been living on people’s mercy for survival through social media.

The states they are representing have stopped payment of their monthly allowances, which were even not enough to cater for their needs.

Also, the hope of some of them to represent their states at the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival, which had suffered three postponements, was dashed as the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 had to pick February 14, 2021 for the commencement of the biannual games.

Many of the athletes have been training and hoping to win medals at the festival, which will in turn result into receiving monetary rewards from their state governments.

For so many years, Nigeria has been recording brain drain in the sports sector, due to lack of motivation and improved welfare packages for the nation’s athletes.

Nigerian athletes switched nationalities and went as far to represent countries like Bahrain, Norway, Qatar, United States of America, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Britain.

Some of the athletes, who attributed lack of welfare on the part of the government for their reason for dumping the country, have been bringing glory to their adopted countries.

This calls for concern, as Nigeria is blessed with a lot of sporting stars, however, if urgent attention is not given to the welfare of the nation’s athletes, the country will continue to experience brain drain in the sports sector.

State and Federal governments should come up with modalities that will ensure payment of monthly pensions to all athletes, as it is being done in developed countries.

Governments should not wait to hear about the deteriorating health conditions of some athletes before coming up with a fund raising programme. The nation’s sports men and women need to be appreciated annually.

Corporate bodies and well-meaning Nigerians should equally complement the efforts of the governments by spreading hands of fellowship and love to the nation’s athletes.

It is believed that when the nation’s athletes are given adequate care during their active years, there would be less burden on the governments to cater for them when they retire and thereby, affirming that the labour of the nation’s heroes should not be in vain.


Olaolu Fawole