By Our Correspondent in Ilorin
Kwara State 7th Sports Festival ended at the weekend amid colourful displays of great talents from across the state with the Federal Government commending Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for taking special interest in youths and sports development.
The weeklong fiesta, which was last held 15 years ago and featured athletes from across the 16 local government areas of the state, peaked on Saturday with 4X100 metres relay involving about eight finalists and the football finals between Ilorin East and Ilorin South Local Government Areas..
Governor AbdulRazaq, Sports Minister Sunday Dare, Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi, Kwara State House of Assembly Speaker Danladi Yakubu were important dignitaries that graced the occasion.
The Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi and top traditional rulers, and several other dignitaries also watched the week-long fiesta.
The football encounter ended in favour of Ilorin East LGA which walloped their challengers two nil, drawing the curtain on the scintillating event..
Ilorin West Local Government topped the medals’ table in the festival that featured 26 games, tailed by Asa Local Government and Offa respectively.
Dare, in his speech, said the reintroduction of the sports festival by AbdulRazaq showed his ” inimitable commitment” to youths empowerment.
He added that such efforts also, meant a lot for sports development in the state.
The sports minister said the Federal Government had taken notice of the Governor’s interest in human capital development, especially relating to youths inclusion.
“What is happening today signposts the future of sports development in Nigeria which is the return to grassroots sports development.
“Let me celebrate and thank His Excellency for having the courage and commitment to bring back Kwara State Sports Festival after, 15 years in the doldrum.Youhavenot only brought about peace in sports development but you have become the face of sports development in Kwara State, ” he said.
Joanna Nnazua Kolo, sports and youths development commissioner in the state, said the festival was long dead and buried until the Governor approved its revival to properly engage the youth and energise sports at the grassroots.
“This tournament is meant to sensitise the youths that, this is the time for them to think of being positively relevant in the social scheme and re-channel energies toward. positive and socio-economically viable ventures,” Kolo said.
Declaring the tournament closed, AbdulRazaq, said the festival formed part of his plan to spotlight sports in the state as it used to be in the early decades of Kwara state.
He recalled that he once represented the state as a footballer.
“Not only has the festival put Kwara back in the spotlight in the sports industry nationwide, it has again solidified our unity as a people and reassured Kwara people that we are here to rewrite the story of the state for good,” he said.
“This festival has offered our youths the opportunity to channel their energy to productive activities that have earned them more respect in their communities and beyond.
” They have seen, once again, that they can be celebrated and rewarded if they get it right.
“Our government is making the necessary investments to make sports more attractive and rewarding for our youths.
” The 2020 budget is a big testimony in this regard. For instance, we are giving a facelift to the Indoor Sports Hall. We are building a twin squash court.
” Gradually, we will restore the glory of Kwara using sports and investments in critical infrastructure that would jump-start the economy.
“I thank the Honourable Minister of Sports and Youth Development and his team for this honour of gracing the closing ceremony.
” We hope to partner with you and bank on your goodwill and the fatherly support of Mr President to give better opportunities to Kwara youths.
The governor urged the youth to imagine a world of boundless opportunities ahead of them.
He, however, reminded that the path to success wad often laced with hard work, humility, sacrifice, and determination.
The governor said with the National Sports Festival (Edo 2020) just a few weeks away,” I believe this festival is a tonic for us to go and overwhelm the rest of Nigeria.
” Let us go out and tell the world that it is indeed a new beginning for Kwara.”
he Deputy Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly and member representing Ankpa I constituency, RT. Mr Ahmed Mohammed has condemns in strong term the recent violence in Akwu community which led to loss of lives and destruction of property.
Mohammed expressed his feeling whet he paid visit to the community to sympathise with the victims of the crisism.
He expresses disappointment at the rate which youths took laws into their hands destroying property and killing innocent people over chieftaincy issues.
The Deputy Speaker,who hinted that, the state government had procedures for appointment, confirmation and coronation of chieftaincy titles, called on youth to remain peaceful and residents to return home from their hideouts.
The deputy speaker urged the Kogi state government to as a matter of urgency come to the aid of the victims by providing them relief materials and other necessary assistance.
Meanwhile, Prime Polytechnic, a private institution outskirts of lokoja, says it is putting finishing touches to the commencement of the security course in the Polytechnic.
The President of Prime Polytechnic, Bishop Emeka Anierob, disclosed this when hosted senior police officers who visited the institution.
He said toward this end, preparation was on top gear for the take off of the department of security management programme in the institution.
The team include; Assistant Commissioner of Police Toluse Ola Emmanuel, the first Nigerian to write books on security management.
The author donated some of his books to the Polytechnic.
The President of the instruction assured that the institution would sustain academic standard and contribution toward crime reduction in the state.
Meanwhile,the performance of the participating local government areas is follows:
MEDALS TABLE
LGA
GOLD
SILVER
BRONZE
TOTAL
ILORIN WEST
23
24
21
68
ASA
20
21
31
72
OFFA
20
13
20
53
MORO
16
21
22
59
ILORIN EAST
15
10
13
38
OYUN
11
7
14
32
IFELODUN
8
8
19
35
ILORIN SOUTH
7
6
6
19
ISIN
6
5
7
18
OKE ERO
4
6
8
18
EKITI
4
4
8
16
BARUTEN
3
3
4
10
IREPODUN
2
8
10
20
PATIGI
2
3
4
9
KAIAMA
1
4
12
17
EDU
1
0
1
2
TOTAL
143
143
200
486
