Scribe Rates Dangote Gymnastics Championships High

The Secretary-General of
the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria (GFN), Rita Akande, has in Abuja gave high ratings to the 5th Alhaji Aliko Dangote Gymnastics Championships.
Teams from nine states, the FCT and four clubs participated in this year’s edition of the championships at the Abuja National Stadium’s Gymnasium.
Akande told newsmen that the 2014 edition of the championships have helped in discovering a lot of talents.
She said the championships had grown to become a platform for discovering talents for the country since its inception in 2009.
“Today, we are witnessing the fifth edition of the championships that has helped in discovering a lot of talents for Nigeria.
“It has continued to do just that, with what we have seen this time around in this fifth edition,’’ the GFN secretary said.
She however praised the championships’sponsor, Mr Foluso Adefemi, for providing the enabling environment for things to happen in the sport in Nigeria.
“I will like to greatly appreciate the sponsor of this wonderful championship, Mr Foluso Adefemi who has created this opportunity and platform for discovering talents,” Akande said.
She said Adefemi, who is the President of GFN and also the Chief Executive Officer of Union Maritime Agency, had been the sole sponsor of the championships.
Akande then solicited for more sponsorship from both corporate bodies and individuals to help in the development of the country’s gymnasts.
“I can assure you that, with the crop of talents we have been able to discover in this championships, the future of our great country in the sport is bright.
“But, there is the need to harness and nurture these talents in order to put Nigeria on the map of the best gymnastics nations,” she said.
The GFN secretary said Nigerians needed to realise that sports has been used as a tool for curbing social vices all over the world, and therefore needed to invest in it.
She said this helps in channeling the excess energy of the youths into positive use.
“Government cannot do it alone, especially when there are other pressing issues that needed to be attended to,” Akande said.