Sports
Jigawa Aims To Promote Eight Games
The Jigawa State Sports Council has concluded plans to revive eight games hitherto neglected in order to promote unity and the spirit of sportsmanship among the state’s teeming youths, an official said.
The council’s Director, Jafaru Shuaibu, disclosed this to newsmen on Monday, in Dutse.
He listed the games as volleyball, basketball, weightlifting, hockey, badminton, kokowa (local wrestling), dambe (local boxing) and langa (one-legged race).
Shuaibu pointed out that emphasis had been placed on football above other sports in the state and the country at large.
“Football is not the only game our youths can engage in to keep them busy and earn a living in. In fact, football is not the only game that can be competed for locally, nationally or internationally.
“However, in most places you find that we abandoned most of the aforementioned games, including our traditional games which are being competed for nationally and internationally.
“So, that is why our council saw the need to revive these neglected games in Jigawa,’’ he said.
To achieve this, the director said the council, in collaboration with the state’s Ministry of Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, had organised a one-day workshop.
“This was to enable us revive and develop the selected games.”
According to him, the workshop was organised for Heads of Community Development and Sports Officers of the 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.
Shuaibu said the training was to enable the Heads of Departments and their respective sports officers find ways through which the selected games could be revived and developed from the grassroots.
“To this end, we’ve agreed to organise inter-local governments competition in the eight selected games in the three senatorial districts of the state,” he said.
The council director said Babura LGA in the state’s north-west was selected while Hadejia LGA in the north-east and Dutse LGA in the north-central were selected.
“LGAs will participate according to their senatorial district, and this will be like a talent-hunt where players in each of the games will be sourced for at the grassroots.
“In fact, this exercise will definitely lead to discovery of new talents, because competitions organised from the grassroots always snowball into discovery of talents.
“At the end of the exercise, it is from the list of participating youths the council will select the best and form a team for the state in each of the games.
“These teams will go on to represent the state in any competition, be it locally, nationally or internationally,’’ Shuaibu said.(NAN)
Port Harcourt the capital city of Rivers State will be at the centre stage in Nigeria as Port Harcourt Arsenal Community will hold her maiden edition of Football Fans Fiesta (FFF).
The Fiesta scheduled to hold on the 13th December, 2025, at Eddiz wine bar GRA, promises to be all football fans carnival in the State , as there will be a lot of fanfares.
The Coordinator of Port Harcourt Arsenal Community (PHAC), Ugochukwu Oputa has said that the forthcoming Football Fans Fiesta was basically to promote peace, unity and love among football fans in irrespective of the cub.
He stated that sports is a catalyst to bring peace, love and Unity in any given society, hence the occasion was initiated.
Oputa said this in an interview with sports journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, saying that arrangements are on top gear for a successful programme.
” This event is for all football fans irrespective of your club. It is basically to promote peace, love and Unity among fans.
“It is like stating the obvious that football is the catalyst of peace and unity in the world. So the Port Harcourt Arsenal Community want to use this avenue to bring people together and foster friendship.
“There is no gate fee, but it is expected to put on jersey of your club as to make the event look unique” Oputa said.
The Coordinator used the forum to advice football fans in the world to love one another, and equally urged fans that will attend the occasion to be of good conduct and behaviour.
Tonye Orabere
Consistent with its project execution routine, Dunamis-Icon Limited, Project Consultants of the Niger Delta Games, has concluded the first phase of physical inspection and evaluation of facilities for the event, 24 hours after the presentation of the hosting right to Edo State was performed.
The project management team was guided round select facilty locations in Benin City by Desmond Amadin Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, and the team leader, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo expressed satisfaction with the sports infrastructure assets of the host.
“Edo is a ready-made choice based on all the factors that are necessary to host this kind of big event. We are expecting over 3000 athletes coaches, alongside journalists and technical officials, with an approximate number of people outside spectators in the range of 5000. So, we need facilities that work for the games itself”, Ikpokpo explained.
He commended the Edo State Government for the good state of facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and promised that the state will be assisted with the renovation of some of the facilities as may be necessary to ensure good competition experience for the athletes.
“I have been to the iconic Ogbe Stadium and must commend the Edo State Government for maintaining the facilities there. We are also considering taking some events to the University of Benin, so that people in that part of the city can also feel and enjoy the fun. Where need be, we will also see how to assist the state and the University of Benin to add value to some of the sporting facilities”.
Dunamis Icon Limited is the franchise rights owner to the games conceived and designed to provide a platform for unity and integration, and identifying and grooming talented youths from the region into national and international stars.
The NDDC as the flagship interventionist agency for the nine states that make up the region, is the prime sponsor of the games as part of their strategic focus on youth engagement and human capital development.
The inspection tour began at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, after a brief meeting with Enabulele and the Sports Commission team at his office.
Areas inspected include the stadium’s main bowl, the tartan track, the state box, the VIP lounges and other key areas like the ceremonial room, the media studio and other indoor facilities.
Other facility locations assessed are the Wire Road Sports Centre being listed to host basketball and volleyball games, the University of Benin Sports Complex, and the Etete Sports Centre.
In the entourage of Dunamis-Icon were the Project Director, Mr Fred Edoreh; Director of Facilities and Equipment, Dr Emmanuel Ochuko Igbigbisie; the head of Communications, Harry Iwuala; Head of Transport and Logistics, Israel Umueri Afoke. Others are Theresa Ineke, Head of Secretariat, Godwin Enakhena, the Head of Scouting, Mr. Edi Lawani, the Head of Culture Affairs and Entertainment and Elder Siegha Porbeni of the Technical Department.
The Edo Sports Commission Chairman was also supported by Hon. Frank Ilaboya and Mrs Sabina Chikere, Executive Directors, with Mr Baldwin Bazuaye (MON) also in the company.
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