Sports
‘Make Sports Compulsory In Rivers Schools’
The Rivers State Ministry of Education has been urged to come up with a legislation or policy aimed at making sports activities compulsory in both private and public schools in the state.
A former supervisor for Youth Development and Sports in the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Eric Ejigini who made the call in an interview with The Tide said the step would enhance proper development of abundant talents in the state.
Ejigini who regetted that so much sports potentials were being wasted in the country called on the local government councils to build mini sports stadium in their council Headquarters to encourage grassroot sports participation in the state.
He lauded the initiative of Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi in developing Igbo Ukwu field in D-line as well as number five and six field in the old Port Harcourt Township.
He said that private schools that do not have sports facilities like field could take advantage of the field nearest to them to host their sports events like training, competitions, like inter house and Inter school sports competition.
“Private schools within the town axis can make use of the fields for training and competitions while those in D-line and Diobu axis can make use of the one in D-line while Schools in Rumukalagbo and Aba road can make use of St John among other.
He challenged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to draw up programmes on sports development in the region for the interest of Niger Delta youths.
He frowned at what he described as ‘I don’t care’ attitude of the commission in the area of sports saying it was not in the good interest of the region which he said is not only rich in oil and gas but also in sports.
One had expected that by now, the NDDC would be organising competitions in the region or sponsoring its own athletes or even having its own team but the commission appears not to be alive to its responsibility in sports.
Chris Oluoh
England captain Harry Kane netted a hat-trick to guide Bayern Munich to an impressive victory against Stuttgart.
Kane’s goals, plus one from Kingsley Coman, helped Bayern end a three-game winless run in all competitions.
They faced a tough task against a Stuttgart side who sat back and limited their chances, leading Vincent Kompany’s side to enter the break frustrated and with the deadlock unbroken.
Bayern eventually found a way past Stuttgart’s steely defence when Kane drilled a low effort into the bottom corner from around 30 yards out after Joshua Kimmich overturned possession.
Former Nigeria goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph, is full of thanks to God after he miraculously survived another life-threatening automobile accident recent at Kara, along the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, where a heavy-duty truck ran into his SUV.
Narrating his ordeal, the 51-year-old, who guided Nigeria to gold in the Men’s Football Tournament of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, broke the news in a statement on his social media handles on Friday.
“To God be the glory, another death escaped by Grace and Mercy of God. Me and my friend SM were at Enyo Filling Station after Ojodu Berger bus stop to get fuel on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, around 6 p.m. when this MACK truck fully loaded with iron, with registration number LND 470 XX, left the road and crushed my car beyond repairs. Thank God for life,” he stated.
This is the second time the soft-spoken club proprietor will cheat death by a whisker, having been involved in an accident in 1997 that ended his career at 23 and left his spinal cord in bad shape.
He helped Julius Berger win the Nigeria FA Cup in November 1997 shortly a memorable Olympic outing by keeping a clean sheet in the finals against Katsina United. The following year, he was involved in the auto along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, which not only cut his career short but also left him almost paralysed, ending his spell at Serie A club Reggiana.
The former Nigeria international, who also kept goal for Julius Berger FC, said the case has been reported to Isheri Police Station, Ogun State, where the driver is currently detained and the truck also seized.
According to him, the owner of the truck said he can’t fix the badly damaged SUV until after a year.
Ex – Super Eagles of Nigeria, Okwuchukwu Waobikeze has observed that sports development in Nigeria is going down.
According to him, grassroots sports is very important, without it, the administrators cannot get it right. So everybody should key into grassroots sports development, he said.
Waobikeze said this last Wednesday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after the Port Harcourt All Stars Independence football festival (OCTOBERFEST) at the Port Harcourt club, Rivers State.
He explained that for sports administrators to get it right, grassroots development is key. “They should be organising competition at the grassroots level to fish out the young ones for different sporting activities.
“Grassroots sports is very important so the administrators have to go back to the grassroots.
” Sports Development in Nigeria is going down we need to go back to the basics.
“Look at the just concluded Paris Olympics, Nigeria did not win any medal.
” Our football team did not even qualify for the Olympics. We are going down.
” If they should go back to the grassroots, they will get young ones in the games and talents will be developed.
” I started from school games, to youth games before playing for the national team. Now everybody wants to fly board to play professional football and a lot do not know the basics of the game.
” A lot of people did not know the little things about the game, they just want to play. It is not done so,” Waobikeze stated.
Kiadum Edookor