Abia Donates Trophy For 2nd Place Winner

Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji,  yesterday donated a golden trophy for the second overall best state at the 17th National Sports Festival which began in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Orji said in Umuahia that the trophy was part of the organisers’ agreement to honour late Chief Jerry Enyeazu, a former footballer and sports administrator.

Enyeazu, he said, was one of the founding fathers of the festival as Director of the National Sports Commission (NSC) in 1973.

The governor made the donation to the NSC when he received the Torch of Unity for the festival at noon at the Umuahia Township Stadium.

Orji, represented by Chief Emeka Ananaba, his Deputy, said the honour was an indication that the nation valued the efforts of sportsmen in national development.

He advised the organisers not to allow the dreams of the founding fathers to use sports as a tool for the unification and galvanizing young talents to be in vain.

He charged Abia athletes to the Games to work hard and win laurels for the state.

“You will not only be honouring yourselves but our government and I will appreciate and honour you for the achievement,’’ Orji said.

The torch of unity was received at the boundary between Abia and Akwa-Ibom yesterday and was carried by Mary Chima, a 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games handball champion.

The torch is expected to leave Abia for Owerri, Bayelsa and finally Port Harcourt to herald the event.

The Director-General of NSC, Chief Patrick Ekeji, represented by Stanley Okebugo, said the donation of trophies to honour the founding fathers of the festival was the first of its kind.

Okebugo commended the state government for the donation and reminded the governor that “sports is the only thing you can use to market yourself because it is unity personified”.

Contributing, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports, Onyi Nwaama, said “Team Abia” had done its homework and with support, the athletes would surpass their  ranking in the 2009 edition in Kaduna.

Perpetua Nwkocha in action against an opponent during an outing