News
Dart Has Come To Stay, Says Game Officials … As Youths Take Over.
The game of Dart that made its first appearance in the national sports festival event in the year 2006 is fast attracting attention from the younger generation thereby showing the elders the exit door after just a few years in the national fiesta.
Formerly a club game played by matured minds, now the younger generation are speedily taking over the event thereby making it more competitive.
This reporter spoke with some officials of the game and they seem excited with the new development in the game.
Olufemi Fabode, Ondo
Its been good though we’ve just been able to pick one bronze medal because younger ones are been brought up into the game now and they are phasing out the old hands and its as if we are getting tired and I believe its now time for us to leave the stage for the younger ones.
It’s also a lesson for every other state that they have to go to the grassroots from secondary school level and pick dart players into this dart games. Though dart is new but some states have been forging ahead. They’ve been able to have an academy that their players who are that younger ones are doing well unlike some other states that came with older players who have been so long in the game and just like the game of football where we have tired legs, we also have tired hands too in dart but the competition is okay. Honestly, more younger players should be encouraged to come into darts and that is what we are going to do in my state now. We are going to recruit younger players because they will do it better.
Audrey Team manager, Dart, Nasarawa
For now, we’ve been faring well because at least, for the male we’ve reached quartter-finals and now they are on third game on mixed double and we have every hope to reach the finals. For us in Nasarwa, Darts has come to stay.
Darts is going a long way because very soon we are going international. The team being sponsored by the Nigeria Dart Federation which was given birth to recently, sometime in June, that’s the dart federation, so I think that with what is on ground right now, we are moving ahead.
Now you see new faces. Young players between the ages of 22 and 27 years are coming up and you see the middle age giving way to the youth because before it was a club game but now that it has been enrolled into a medal winning event in 2006 at Abeokuta, more youths are picking up.
Toju Matt Tuoyo, Delta
The game is just starting, this is just the beginning. It’s not over until it’s over. We’ve tried in this competition though not as good as Kaduna but we’ve won about three silver and two bronze but no gold medal yet but there is hope because we still have six events to go and am very hopeful of gold.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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