28 June 2011
Governor Theodore Orji of Abia has donated a golden trophy for the second overall best state at the 17th National Sports Festival which began in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Orji said in Umuahia that the trophy was part of the organizers’ agreement to honour late Chief Jerry Enyeazu, a former footballer and sports administrator.
Enyeazu, he said, was one of the founding fathers of the festival as Director of the National Sports Commission (NSC) in 1973.
The governor made the donation to the NSC when he received the Torch of Unity for the festival at noon at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
Orji, represented by Chief Emeka Ananaba–his Deputy– said the honour was an indication that the nation valued the efforts of sportsmen in national development.
He advised the organisers not to allow the dreams of the founding fathers to use sports as a tool for the unification and galvanizing young talents to be in vain.
He charged Abia athletes to the Games to work hard and win laurels for the state.
“You will not only be honouring yourselves but our government and I will appreciate and honour you for the achievement,” Orji said.
The torch of unity was received at the boundary between Abia and Akwa-Ibom at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and was carried by Mary Chima, a 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games handball champion.
The touch is expected to leave Abia for Owerri, Bayelsa and finally Port Harcourt to herald the event.
The Director-General of NSC, Chief Patrick Ekeji, represented by Stanley Okebugo, said the donation of trophies to honour the founding fathers of the festival was the first of its kind.
Okebugo commended the state government for the donation and reminded the governor that “sports are the only thing you can use to market yourself because it is unity personified”.
Contributing, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports, Onyi Nwaama, said “Team Abia” had done its homework and with support, the athletes would surpass their last ranking in the 2009 edition in Kaduna.
Meanwhile, Johnson Onuigbo, the Transition Committee Chairman, Umuahia North Local Government and Stanley Emeka have urged the state’s contingent not to dash the hopes of the people of Abia.
“The Government has played its part, we want you to be our ambassadors at the Garden City 2011 Games,” he said.
Emeka assured the athletes that the government would not renege on its promise to honour any of them who won a medal.
AllAfrica – All the Time
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Nigeria: Sports Festival – Abia Donates Trophy