Sports
Rivers Sports Council Mourns Former Speaker
The Rivers State Sports Council is in morning over the recent death of former Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry, who was also the Chairman Rivers State Tennis Association and Deputy President, Nigeria tennis Federation.
The Board, Management, Chairman of Sports Associations and Staff of the Sports Council on Friday visited the family house of the late lawmaker in Port Harcourt to commiserate with his family members over their untimely loss.
Condoling with the widow and family, members of late Harry, leader of the delegation and Chairman of the Councils Board, Hon. Charles Paul noted that the death of Tonye Harry was a big blow not only to his family but to the Sports council and Sports world.
According to Hon. Paul, late Harry was key to the success story of Rivers State and the Sports Council, especially, in tennis. He single handedly ran the Tonye Harry Foundation and sponsors young tennis players to realize their potentials.
“He has been nice to us and sponsors tennis, which association he chaired and personally sponsored our athletes to represent the state at various levels”, he said.
The Chairman further said that his commitment to youth and Sports development was second to none and prayed that his legacies, especially, the Foundation be sustained.
He prayed for peace and God’s protection for his family.
“It is our prayer that God will continue to be with the family, gibe them and us the fortitude to bear the loss”.
He further urged the family to ensure peace in the home and see that the widow and children were not persecuted.
He promised to see that the council and the family liaise with the Foundation to immortalize late Harry with the annual tennis competition he used to organize.
Speaking on behalf of the family late Harry’s brother, Tamunotein E.W. Harry said that the late Lawmaker organiswed himself and family very well and assured that peace would continue to reign in the family.
Also speaking moments later, the Director of sports in the State, Sir Daobu Harry described the State Tennis Association Chairman as everything to the Sports Council. He recalled that in the past three National Sports festivals, the late Harry sponsored the tennis association single-handedly and nurtured players to win medals for the state.
“He has contributed a lot to the State’s overall achievement at the National Sports festival and beyond. We’re really lost a sportsman, philanthropist, sponsor and an administrator”, said the Director of Sports.
The Chairman of Handball association, Kwashi Thompson on behalf of Sports association Chairman described late Harry as a sports reform and a strong pillar who came through the ranks.
“He truly embedded in the promotion of sports, especially, tennis, without Tonye, there was no tennis in Rivers State, it is going to be a herculean task trying to fill the vacuum his death has created, you can understand what that means”, said Thompson.
He urged people, especially, those that are well-to-do to emulate his sports philanthropy and commitment.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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