EDO DEPUTY GOV. CHARGES JUDOKAS TO EXCEL IN ALL AFRICAN GAMES
OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO
Athletes selected to represent Nigeria in Judo in the forthcoming All African Games have been called upon to ensure they win medals for the nation at the continental games come August.
This call was made by Hon. Phillip Shaibu, Deputy Governor, Edo State during the the closing ceremony of National Judo Open Trials for the Games in Benin City, he enjoined the selected athletes to give good accounts of themselves by being good ambassadors of the nation.
According to Hon. Shaibu, “you all have given us fantastic performances that will stay in our memory for a very long time to come and I wish the selected Judokas the very best at the All Africa Games. The Olympic spirit is not all about winning, in fact, the focus and celebration is about participation.”
Hon. Shaibu who was represented by Gowin Dudu-Orumen, Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission. “It has been our honour to host this trials. It has truly been our privilege to be touched and inspired by the courage and determination of our athletes.”
In his comments, Suleiman Musa, a 1995 All Africa Games Gold medallist disclosed that the present crop of discovered Judokas needed time to develop.
Musa added, “I am happy with the athletes’ willingness and determination and I believe if given time and good preparation, they will do very well. The Sports Ministry should also increase our slots from four to eight weight categories as I believe we are capable of doing well at the games.”
The judo tournament, which was sponsored by the Edo State Sports Commission in conjunction with Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Limited, doubled as trials to select judokas for the All Africa Games where more than 50 judokas representing the states in the federation, tertiary institutions and clubs participated in an intense competition spanning three days.
Declaring the trials closed, Rt. Hon. Frank Okiye, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly said that the people of Edo State were entertained by the spectacular performance of the athletes during the three days trials, he then wished well just he urged them to work extra hard to ensure that they win medals at the All Africa Games which will hold in August this year in Rabat, Morocco.
Dignitaries present at the closing ceremony includes Hon. Frank Okiye, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Brown Ebewele, former national decathlon champion and one-time Commissioner of Sports in Edo State, Peter Nelson, Deputy Director of Sports, Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports, officials of the Nigeria Judo Federation and Dr Felicia Egbasei, Acting Sports Director, University of Benin, Edo State.
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