A call has gone to
sports-loving Nigerians to rise up and develop the nation’s sporting sector.
Making the call on Tuesday in Port Harcourt was the President of Nigerian National League side Go-Round Football Club, Bro Felix Obuah who was speaking in his keynote address at the Mascot unveiling ceremony of the forthcoming Go-Round/SWAN Secondary School Athletics Championship.
Obuah who is the financier of the Championships billed to commence on the 31st of this month at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt enjoined Nigerians to put aside the norm of heaping blames on the nation’s Sports administrators but rather take steps towards rescuing sports from entering the doldrums.
“Rather than sitting down and rain blames on Sports authorities or the country’s leadership for the misfortune of our Sports (sector), we should as patriotic Nigerians take the bull by the horn and salvage the situation.” Obuah noted.
Obuah who further declared the intention of the organizers (i.e Go-Round and SWAN) to make the Championship an annual event also harped on the organizers’ resolve to take the project to the grassroots as it will bring forth a multi-faceted reward.
“We have to go back to the grassroots, to the streets and schools, catch them young, harness these talents and reclaim our lost glory. By this, our youths will be meaningfully engaged and we will also take them away from social vices.” Obuah enunciated.
The Mascot named “Duckie The Champion” was unveiled by the Chief Unveiler, Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka who himself being a product of School Sports seized the occasion to emphasize on the need for proper planning and conscious developmental programmes such as the Go-Round/SWAN Athletics championships which will help to develop a sustainable pool of stars that will do the country proud in no distant future.
Other important speakers at the ceremony include Chairman of the Occasion, Rt. Hon. Austin Opara, Special Guest of Honour, Rivers State Commisioner for Sports, Boma Iyaye, Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Sir Rudaford LongJohn, who all who lauded the vision of the Sponsor and declared their unflinching support towards a successful championships.
There were also goodwill messages at the Occasion from the National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Alhaji Seidu Abubakar and the immediate past president of the Association, Olu Amadasun among others.
Other side attractions at the Mascot Unveiling ceremony include colourful cultural displays from Secondary students in the state. The Go-Round/SWAN Secondary School Athletics Championships will commence on the 31st of January and end on February the 6th, 2016.