Sports are essentially athletics, games and other competitions we engage in for entertainment and keeping fit. Sports has become a major industry and many men and women have taken sports as a career to earn their living. Since the inception of the present administration in Enugu State, Gov. Ugwuanyi have made an appreciable level of progress in sports development. It was to his credit therefore and based on his robust support to the flying Antelopes of Enugu, within his first three years in office, Rangers international football club of Enugu (the flying antelopes) won the Nigeria premier league. This spectacular feat was achieved due to adequate support and encouragement from Mr. Fulfillment himself. It must be stressed that Rangers International have until then unable to lift a diadem for a cumulative 32 years.
The winning streak was repeated the following year, when Rangers also won the AITEO cup ( challenge cup).
It is a verifiable point that Enugu state have been doing well in other sporting competitions ever since. Enugu state have been participating in all national sports competitions and have not come back empty handed since Ugwuanyi became governor.
To boost football activities in the state, he has institutionalized and has been organizing “Ime ogbe” (rural soccer competitions) league for some years now. This is to discover and harness raw talents in the rural areas in order to develop them. Aside this laudable initiative to harvest abounding talents in the state, Governor Ugwuanyi has also taken it upon himself to sponsor Chidi Ofor Okenwa under 13 football competitions. Chidi Ofor Okenwa it must be recalled was a former chairman of Nigeria National League (NNL). The sponsorship of such events became Ugwuanyi’s own way of keeping the memories of such sports enthusiast alive and also to continue in his strive to discover and develop talents that is capable of holding their own anywhere in the world.
Many sports men and women who have had the great opportunity to represent the state at one sporting competition or another have always have good stories to tell about the workaholic governor of Enugu state. No one has ever complained about delay or non payments of statutory allowances. Governor Ugwuanyi understands that a labourer deserves his or her wages and that the best way to get the best out and encourage these patriotic sports men and women is to pay them their statutory dues as at when due.
Even those that got injured or died while representing Enugu State was never forgotten. This is the height of sensitivity for one fine leader who thinks more of others and practicalizes his humanist principles. Last year, a player of Rangers international died in a Road Traffic Crash (RTC) while on a leisure trip, his family was adequately compensated. Ugwuanyi has a milk of human kindness flowing in him.
Enugu state have never been in short supply of sports men and women owing to his numerous and sincere interventions. Many Paralympics that came back with laurels for Nigeria especially in weight lifting in the two past competitions are from Enugu state.
Gov Ugwuanyi have steadily ensured that Enugu state participate in all national sports festivals since he came in and the state’s representatives have never come back medal less. As an astute manager of men and resources he has always ensured that we take part in games we have comparative advantage and it has paid off. Even in the ongoing national sports festival in Edo State, Enugu State is taking part in only six sporting activities and have won laurels in many of them.
As a grass root sports developer, he has ensured that inter house school competitions are a regular feature of the secondary school extra curricula activities. During Yuletide, there is football and other competitions organized in various communities monitored and promoted by state ministry of sports and youth development.
Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has also ensured that training and retraining of sports coaches and umpires takes precedence and accorded rightful priority. All these efforts is to ensure continuity and growth in sports development in Enugu state. We are grateful to this sports loving governor. Enugu State is truly in the hands of God.
BIBIAN ANEKWE NEWS ..ADDED..”Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.” Ndi Enugu state appreciate the leadership of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Written by
Leonard Ugwu.
MEDIA TEAM MEMBER OF ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU MOVEMENT
