The leaderships of the National Institute For Sports NIS and the Nigeria Football Federation NFF have described the forthcoming Niger Delta Sports Festival as a welcome development.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation Ibrahim Gusau said it is worth investing on as it presents another avenue for talents discovery.
“Having an opportunity to compete and show what they can do is very important for the young up and coming talents in the Niger Delta and indeed the whole country.
“This is what we have been talking about, competitions at the state and regional levels to augment and complement the established talent discovery outlet which the National Sports Festival represents.
So the Niger Delta deserve commendation for the initiative” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Director General of the National Institute For Sports professor Olawale Moronkola says the Niger Delta Sports Festival initiative should be emulated by other geopolitical or socioeconomic entities in order to boost the Sports talent conveyor belt for the overall benefit of the entire nation.
“What the Niger Delta Development Commission has done by initiating a maiden Sports festival for the zone is a challenge to other zones in the country to come up with theirs because the more the competitions, the better for the development of athletes in the country”
Professor Moronkola who insists that other zones must emulate the Niger Delta, likens the impact of abundant competitions to the effect of numerous samples on research works, saying “the more the samples, the better for the research process and results”
He urged all stakeholders to get behind the organizers with support.
In terms of support, the NDSF will get it in full measure as well from the Nigeria Football Federation NFF as President Ibrahim Gusau holds nothing back in declaring full backing of the nation’s football ruling body.
“Our support for the games will be total. We will be there fully prepared and ready to offer our assistance technically and otherwise to ensure that new football stars of the future from the Niger Delta are discovered and nurtured.
“As a responsible sport federation, we at the Nigeria Football Federation are ever so delighted to support an initiative like the oncoming Niger Delta Sports Festival with potential to aid grassroots football development which aligns with our mission and vision” concludes the NFF President.
Over 3000 athletes from the 9 states of the Niger Delta alongside over 500 Coaches and Technical Officials as well as over 300 more from the media are converging on Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital for the first Niger Delta Sports Festival holding in April.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
