By Odimayo Olatunde
The Kogi State Commissioner for Youths and Sport Mr. Idris Musa, has commended the State Athletes participating in the ongoing National Sports Festival tagged Edo 2020 for making the state prooud.
Musa, who spoke to Sports Writers Association of Nigeria,(SWAN) Kogi State Chapter on Monday in Benin City, also showered encomiums on the State Female Chess Player, Ayisha Suleiman, for winning Gold medal for the State, and other athletes for winning bronze medals in the ongoing biennial sports competition.
The Commissioner thanked the athletes for their selfless services to the State, assuring them that they would be greatly rewarded for making Kogi State proud.
He reiterated the commitment of the Kogi State Government to reward athletes for their outstanding performance after participating in any sporting event.
This he said is very key to the present administration as it will serve as a morale booster to upcoming athletes who wants to represent the state in the nearest future.
Musa,however,maintained that efforts were in place to bring back Kogi State athletes representing other States in sports tournaments, to win laurels, stressing that the current state government was working round the clock to make the State the hub of talent discovery for the country.
“Am one of the most happiest men today, I must tell you. No doubt, Kogi State went into the festival with fewer sports but we were able to prove to the whole world that we have raw talents.
” Take for instance, the athlete that won Gold medal in Chess is just 19 years old. She represented Nigeria in Chess in Ghana, one of our West African Neighbours and she won gold. This is a clear attestations that our athletes are going places beyond the shores of Kogi State.
” Other athletes that won medals for our state in Weight lifting, Boxing and Traditional sport Ayo, they have all shown that Kogi State is never a push over.
“I said it before the state contingents departed for the festival that, we will shock our opponents, this is what we are having now even though we participated in few sports.
” Am using this medium to thank his excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello for giving us this golden privilege to participate in the mother of all sports Festival in Nigeria. Just like what we are witnessing in Edo, am assuring all Kogites that one day, Kogi State will also host the National Sports Festival.
” Kogi has what it takes to host this event. With what we are putting in place to see that Kogi State host its own State Sports Festival, it will be a pointer to all sports lovers within and outside the country, that Kogi State is a place were talents can be harvested to represent the country in both National and international event.
It could be recalled that the Kogi State Female Chess player, Ayisha Sulieman, on Monday won the first gold medal in the female Swiss category for the State.
Sulieman, a 19-year-old chess player, was declared winner in the Chess female category after her opponents refused to show up at the venue, leaving officials with no choice than to follow the rules of such situation – a work over.
With the fit, Kogi State now has a gold and Five (5) bronze medals.
The State recorded three of the medals in Boxing, one in weightlifting and one in Ayo.
Rasheed Waziri, Osita Umeh and Celestina Ekele all won bronze medals in boxing 64kg, 69kg and +81kg category respectively while
Dangana Okolo and Alauja Mary Titi won bronze in Ayo female double.
Also in the medal list for Kogi State is Anuoluwapo Ogunfowora who won bronze in weightlifting.
