‘NSSF, Vehicle For Discovery Of Talents’

The National President of the Nigerian School Sports Federation (NSSF), Mallam Ibrahim Muhammed, has said that the age cheat scandal that characterized sports development in the country would be addressed through competitive events organized by National School Sports Festival. Mallam Muhammed stated this at the opening ceremony of the 4th National Sports Festival tag Calabar 2011 taking place at the U.J.Esuene stadium the Cross River State capital with more than 21 States participating in 22 events.

According to the NSSF boss the golden era of Nigerian Sports was made possible with organised school sports which he said remains the vehicle for the discovery and nurturing of budding talents”.

He commended Nestle Nigeria PLC for the development of sports, especially for keeping faith with Secondary Schools championship and Adidas for identifying with Calabar 2011 and appeal to other corporate bodies to emulate their good gesture by promoting school sports.

Declaring the championship open, the Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, said the event would change the face of sports development in the country stressing that the objective of the National School Sports Festival is to nurture the young into adulthood for the betterment of the society.

Imoke urged the three tiers of government to encourage the National Schools Sport Festival as part of their agenda for the development of young talent for the future generation of Nigerian athletes.

He said it is part of the state agenda to promote sports and identify talent, noting that the Cross River State Government has selected some schools into six competitive schools to groom them into world class athletes

In his goodwill message, the Cross River State Commissioner for Education Prof. Offiong Offiong described sports as a way of life, adding that, the sports Festival is expected to bring the youths together, identify their talents and harness them to be groom future stars.

He said the comprehensive renewal programme of his ministry will ensure that necessary facilities for the development of talents are provided as well as promoting Inter-House Sporting activities.

Among the sporting events being competed for include Athletics, Handball, Swimming, Volley ball, Traditional Wrestling, Football, Badminton, Boxing Weightlifting, Chess Scrabble, Gymnastics, Judo, Wrestling, and Karate Tennis among others.

Riday Nwagbara, Calabar