Sports
RSG Seeks Private Sector Support For Sports Dev
The Rivers State Government has called on multinational companies and other organisations in the state to support the growth of sports in the state, noting that government can not do it alone.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sports, Rivers State, Sir Honour Sirawoo, stated that the state government is ready to partner with any organisation that may wish to invest in sporting activities in the state
Sirawoo, who was represented by the Director of Sports Development in the Ministry, Emmanuel Nwaiju, made the call on Monday while flagging off the maiden edition of the New Port Harcourt Mini Marathon, sponsored by Odibola Services Limited, at the Sharks Stadium in Port Harcourt.
” The state government is ready to partner and support any organisation which may take sporting activities to the next level in the state”, Sir Sirawoo said.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer / General Manager Director of Odibola Services Limited, Mr Sunny Isaac said that the New Port Harcourt Mini Marathon is aimed at bringing the people of Rivers State together in a celebratory atmosphere for peace, unity and hospitality.
He applaud the foresight of the state governor, Chief Nyesom Wike in executing legacy projects for the benefit of Rivers people and approval of the hosting of the New Port Harcourt Mini Marathon.
He explained that the New Port Harcourt Mini Marathon 2022 is a bold statement to investors that the state is peaceful and safe for investors to do business.
” The New Port Harcourt Mini Marathon is going to be an annual event. Sporting activities have the power to bring people together to inspire, to show what is possible.
“Personally, I have enjoyed the rich cultural heritage and hospitality of the state and can confirm that indeed Rivers State is the treasure base of the nation”, Isaac stated.
He congratulated all the participants for coming out for the event, adding that it will inspire other youths to involve themselves in sporting activities.
The New Port Harcourt Mini Marathon 2022 was powered by Odibola Properties in partnership with the Rivers State Ministry of Sports.
Earlier, John Muiruri Buru of Kenya emerged winner of the men’s category of the 21km race.
Buru defeated over 300 athletes with another Kenyan, Solomon Koech clinching the second position while the third position was won by a Nigerian from Plateau State, Adamu Shehu Muazu.
By: Kiadum Edookor
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.