Wike Wins African Award In Sports

The All Africa Senior Badminton Championship hosted in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, dominated events last week in Government House, Port Harcourt.
At the opening ceremony of the tournament, last Monday at the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre in Port Harcourt, the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, described sports as a veritable tool for unity, cooperation and socio- economic  development.
The Governor, who was represented at the event by his  Deputy, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, expressed delight to host Africa, 19 years after the last time Nigeria hosted the championship in Bauchi in 2000.
He charged participants to be proud of their heritage as Africans and to use the opportunity to bond on brotherhood and to change the negative narrative about Africa.
Wike said: “ I would like you to use this opportunity to know yourselves and develop brotherhood, sisterhood and continue to make this great continent of ours , the continent that everybody will desire to come to.
“ It will no longer be the continent that negative things are spoken about, it will be a continent that can showcase a lot of things that will attract great talents like yourselves and showcase a lot of things that will attract the whole world to want to be with us”.
In his welcome address, the President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih, noted that the Rivers State model for sports development is a worthy example other states in Nigeria refer to in their sports development plan and thanked the President of the Badminton Confederation Africa for making it possible for Nigeria to host the championship.
The President of the Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA), Mr Tukebana Bua, promised that he would make sure that the best countries host their major events and thanked Governor Wike for making the hosting of the 2019 All Africa Senior Championships a reality.
Last Saturday, BCA leadership paid a courtesy visit to Governor Wike in Government House, Port Harcourt.
During the visit, Bua who led the delegation announced Wike’s nomination for the prestigious Platinum Award for Distinguished Service to Sports in Africa.
According to Bua, the award is in recognition to Governor Wike’s passion and huge support for the growth of sports in the continent.
He said: “ We acknowledge your support and passion for Badminton in Africa. For this reason, the Badminton Confederation Africa Board resolved to honour you with the prestigious award for your distinguished service to sports in Africa.
Wike in his response commended the leadership of BCA for choosing Rivers State as host and promised to sustain the effort if his administration in sports development.
He also commended the delegation for the award and stressed that the countries that participated in the championship would become ambassadors to the state.
Also last week, Governor Wike clarified his position on the new minimum wage recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he would pay whatever amount approved by Federal Government.
Wike, spoke through the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Barr Emma Okah.
The suspension of some local government chairmen in the state by Governor Wike, was last week rectified by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Recall that Governor Wike , penultimate Thursday, announced the suspension of 12 council chairmen for failure to attend state functions.
He sent a request to the House of Assembly to seal the action. The request which was adopted and debated got the approval and official seal of the lawmakers.

Chris Oluoh