Edo's Games triumph, visible proof of our sporting progress – Mrs. Sabina Chikere
From Ring road to Irrua, Okada to Ososo, Auchi to Afuze, the train of sports development and revival is yielding results and the results are there for all to see at the just concluded Niger Delta Games.
This is the story behind the story of Team Edo's commanding victory at the second edition of Niger Delta Games concluded at the Art and Cultural city of Benin City.
It was a night to remember for the Heartbeat State, a day coloured in gold for the people of Benin, as the new Edo State Sports Commission (ESSC) under the stewardship of Honourable Amadin Enabulele, which is just 14 months in office ended a 24 year wait for Games victory.
The Executive Director of Sports Development and Operations, Mrs. Sabina Ekhaisomi Chikere, was overflowing with joy as she described the State's achievement as collective success story of every member of the ESSC.
“We are happy, it shows that Edo State is coming up in sports, the transformation is ongoing, and we will do it again. The entire team is excited and I'm also excited. This is a great achievement and to keep that level we will keep training, keep improving,” she stated.
Mrs. Chikere who was a member of the screening committee gave this verdict in an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG's Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye, just after Team Edo were declared winners of the regional event.
She stated that her main objective and that of the Commission is to help discover the next set of National and International champions from the state.
“Our main objective is to help uncover, groom and shine the spot light on athletes from the region, the talents in the Niger Delta are abundant, there's so much work to be done,” she highlighted.
Despite the hard work and dedication of the National Sports Commission and the Edo State Commission to bring this dream to life, one obstacle continues to show its head.
This is the screening committee led by Sir Braveman Wodi and Mrs. Chikere successfully mitigated at the Niger Delta Games.
“Everybody knows about age cheating in Nigeria and we are trying to curb it, starting from the National Sports Commission, because it's turning into a big problem in the country.
“We have a lot of elite athletes up there that are giving Nigeria their best. But they can't continue to do so, because they are humans who also grow old, we need younger athletes who can replace them.
“It was not an easy task but we are happy that we were able to do our job perfectly. And we will continue to do so. The next edition is coming and we will once again make sure that the sport is clean of fraudsters,” she concluded.
She called on other regions of the Federation to follow in the footsteps of Niger Delta to create their own regional games, stressing that its ability to uplift sports in Nigeria cannot be over emphasized.
OUR COVERAGE OF THE 2ND EDITION OF THE NIGER DELTA GAMES IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
★ The Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations, Edo State Sports Commission (ESSC), Mrs Sabina Chikere
★ Emmanuel Egbele, CEO/Founder, Emmanuel Egbele Annual Scrabble Classics
★ The President, Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation, Olumide Oyedeji (OLY)
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