Royal Father Tasks LGs On Sports Dev

Local government councils in Nigeria, especially, Rivers State have been urged to contribute afffectively toward sports development by drawing up a plan that would enable the youth discover their talents in various areas of sports.

This call was made by a traditional ruler in Rivers State, His Royal Highness, Eze Abella Benson in an interview with Tidesports at the weekend.

He also stressed the need for the councils to build standard venues for promotion of sporting activities from the grassroot in the state.

He explained that the measure would go along way to reduce restiveness among youths as their energies would be channeled to useful ventures especially sports activities.

According to him, some of the youths in the rural communities are sports talented, adding that lack of encouragement has buried their talents in the mud.

Eze Benson who is the traditional ruler of Obagi community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government area wants the council chairmen to give special attention to promoting  traditional wrestling in the local government areas.

Apart from Rivers State Arts and Culture, there is no other organisation or body in the state that encouraged wrestling in the rural areas in the state.

It is one of the sporting activities that budding talents can be discovered in the local government areas in the state,” Eze Benson said. The Obagi monarch further disclosed that wrestlers all over the world, make more money than their counterparts in other sports pointing out that the encouragement of such sports would reduce unemployment and poverty among the youths in the rural communities.

Eze Benson commended the state governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi over the development and upliftment of the state through sports, and urged the council chairmen to emulate the state governor.

Isaac Nwankwo