Sports
Body Advocates Sports Development In Andoni
The leadership of Ibotirem Football Association (IFA) in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State have called on the state government, local governments and corporate bodies to assist in developing sports the rural areas.
IFA National Organising Committee (NOC) chairman, Ellis Nria Dappa made the call in an exclusive interview with The Tidesports shortly after their annual general meeting in his office in Port Harcourt, on Monday.
Nria stated that the orgasisation had been trying its best to improve on sporting activities in the area, especially football at the grassroots for about two years now.
“We have been doing our best to improve football competitions in our locality for about two years now. Like the last year football competition organised by this body which was tagged “Footballing For Unity” created a lot of enthusiasms and awareness among the youths in our rural areas.
“We are calling on government at all levels and multi-nationals operating in Rivers State to come to our aid in order to achieve our set objectives,” Ellis said.
He commended the honourable member representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, Hon. Dakuku Peterside for donating a trophy for the competition in 2010, and added that the gesture would never go unnoticed.
“We are very thankful to Hon. Dakuku Peterside for the trophy he donated for our last year competition. This is what we cannot forget so easily,” he said.
Howver, he said this year’s programme would be unfolded soon.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Okwan Prince Stephen, also commended the magnanimity of Hon. Dakuku and urged others to emulate him as to encourage sporting activities in the area.
He lamented that there were so many talents that could be tapped from the youths but that lack of sponsorship has been the bane.
He attributed the achievements recorded in recently concluded 17th Sports Festival hosted by Rivers State to the commitment shown by the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi towards sports development in the state.
“If we really want to curb youth restiveness in our society we should also think toward this direction of giving those who are willing to improve or showcase their talents in sports,” Stephen stated.
Hon Dike who spoke with sports journalists shortly after the flag off the 2024 edition of Chairman’s Football Unity Tournament at Botem Tai in Tai LGA, said the tournament is an annual event to promote peace and unity in Tai as well identify budding talents in the area for global competition.
The opening ceremony of the tournament was more like a carnival was witnessed by huge crowd including prominent indigenes of Ogoni Kingdom, sports lovers and people from all works of life.
The LGA boss revealed that special sports committee will be setup in the area to work out modalities to strengthen sports development in Tai.
He advised the participants in the tournament from various wards in the LGA to play the game by the rules and conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner and use the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Hon Dike further disclosed that his administration will also give priority attention to skills development among the youth to enhance their human capacity and promote enterprise development in the area.
Earlier in his address the Chairman of Tai LGA Football Council, Elder Wisdom Gorgor said the annual football competition has been a unifying factor in Tai LGA that need to be sustained to forge more unity and development in the area.
He urged the participants to see the competition as an opportunity to embrace football as a full career and earn sustainable livelihood.
Elder Gorgor who commended the Chairman of Tai LGA, Hon Dike for his visionary leadership and tremendous development achievements recorded in the LGA under his administration, appealled to the Chairman to build a Mini Sports Stadium in the area to promote sporting activities.
The training was held at the Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Basketball Court in Kano last Saturday.
According to the Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, the event was part of the league’s commitment to growing broader basketball ecosystem in Nigeria and making the game more accessible across the country.
“Our first Jr. NBA clinic in Kano speaks to our commitment to growing the game in Nigeria and creating more opportunities for boys and girls to learn and play the game,” Abudu said.
“Nigeria has a rich basketball history and abundance of talent, which is evident every time you watch an NBA game. We look forward to continuing to engage with basketball stakeholders, business leaders and members of the community to further the game’s reach and impact on young people around the country,” she added.
The 2024 basketball initiative clinics of NBA Nigeria also included the league’s inaugural Jr. NBA elite camp for 150 boys and age-16 girls held at the American International School in Lagos in July.
Others include the NBA’s building of 1,000 courts in Africa over the next decade, Nigeria’s Festival Coins and Salubata named the top two winning businesses at NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator’s inaugural Demo Day in New York City held last September, and the third edition of “NBA Meets Art,” a curated installation celebrating basketball through the lens of Nigerian art and culture as part of West Africa’s premier art fair Art X Lagos, held in November.
Central to this vision is the federation’s investment in capacity building, evident in the just-concluded one-week Level 1 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Coaching Course, which marked a significant milestone for Nigerian badminton.
Held in Abuja, the course brought together 13 young coaches from across Nigeria. The last time such a course was held in the country was in 2017, making this a historic and transformative step.
The training was facilitated by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) in partnership with the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) and conducted by Dr. Ahmed Radah, the BCA Development Manager.
Radah, impressed by the talent he witnessed, praised Nigeria’s potential.
“Nigeria is blessed with immense talent and a strong badminton tradition. I believe this country has what it takes to dominate on the global stage,” he remarked.
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