Okowa pledged to sustain sports festival in Delta, presents cash to pupils, students

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Wednesday pledged his administrations resolve to sustain schools sports festival in the state.

The governor made the pledge while addressing participants at the median edition of the Delta State Sports Festival and Headmasters’ Cup Finals at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

It was reported that the governor presented a brand new 18 seater bus and N1 million to Nosiere Primary School, Agbor, the winner of the Headmasters Cup.

Also N750,000 and N500,000 were giving to the schools that came second and third at he finals of the headmasters cup.

The winners at the various athletics events got cash awards ranging from N50,000 to N200,000.

The governor thanked the schools principals and headmasters for the efforts in bringing up the children adding that sports were good to build the children physically.

He urged the pupils and students to also take their studies seriously while developing their talents in sports.

“I must thank the heads of schools and all those who are part of the organising team for this sports festival and for being able to put the team together.

“This sports festival, we intend to host it every year going forward in the next four years of my tenour, and it is my belief and prayer that the person that will take over from me by 2023 will continue from there.

“I must congratulate all the participants, and all our children who have come from their various schools and believe that they have enjoy themselves.

“I want to assure that sports are something good and want to encourage all heads of school, Principals and headmasters to try to encourage our children to participant in sports.

He noted that it would take a healthy mind in the healthy body to develop the state and expressed satisfaction about the success of the festival while urging all other states to emulate Delta.

He expressed hope that the state would continue to win in national sporting events as new talents would be discovered annually in the state to replace the aging ones.

Earlier in an address, the State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Chiedu Ebie, thanked the governor for encouraging sporting events at the secondary and primary schools in the state.

He said the encouragement had given a great boost to the spirit of competitiveness among the youth and had kept the students and pupils busy always as they engaged in both physical and mental training.

It was reported that Nosiere Primary School I, Agbor emerged overall winner in the festival by beating Destiny Primary School, Ughelli 1-0 to lift the football trophy of the Headmaster’s Cup which climaxed the Sports fiesta.

Also students and pupils from different secondary and primary schools competed for medals in indoor, track and field events such as races, discus, long jump, short put, high jump, and javelin.

They also competed in in scrabble, chess, badminton, table tennis, volleyball, handball, basketball, among others.

In an interview, Master Kingsley Unorji of Zapa Basic School Asaba, who emerged third in a race competition, said that the festival was a booster to him, adding that he hoped to work harder to come first next year.