17th NSF: Rivers Set To Deliver Magnificent Opening Ceremony

Hosts of the 17th National Sports Festival, tagged Garden City Games 2011, Rivers State is poised to make a huge statement with the formal opening ceremony of the fiesta, today.

Venue is the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt and show time is 6.00pm. To be on the front row of the expected show piece event, is President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the special guest of honour, hosts, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, Executive Governor of the state, his counterparts from across the country, political heavyweights and other important personalities.

It promises to be a unique experience in the history of the National Sports Festival as the Local Organising Committee (LOC) is set to thrill all with dazzling display of artistic exhibitions, special lighting effects and other razzmatazz.

The LOC chairman, Engr Tele Ikuru, who is also the Deputy Governor of Rivers State has not failed to tell all that they intended to put up a compelling show of the festival, from the facilities, organization, performance to the opening and closing ceremonies, such that it will be a very long time before such feat could be equaled.

Thus, apart from this edition of the festival recording firsts in many aspects, today’s ceremony is set to be the first of its kind.

Tidesports understands that a number of Chinese specialists have trained some youths in some exciting Olympic-style calisthenics that is bound to hold all spell bound.

Also, the impeccable decor and environment of the main bowl of the venue are expected to be exploited and manipulated by lighting effects in such a way that those watching will be dazzled.

Indeed, the LOC has promised to deliver a ceremony today in a manner that has never been seen before in Nigeria. It is time to find out how in the programme, billed to be beamed live to Nigerians and beyond by the trio of broadcasting giants, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Supersports Channel and other local stations.

The 17th National Sports Festival Torch, shortly on arrival from Abia State, yesterday. Governor Chibuike Amaechi will formally receive the torch today in Port Harcourt.