By Victor Enyinnaya on December 15, 2016

Veteran administrator and former member of Anambra State Sports Council, Prince Isidore Oduah, has tasked Gov. Willy Obiano on the need to constitute the board of the Anambra State Sports Council (ASSC), saying it is the only panacea that would drive the already dying sports in the state. “Actually, a State of Emergency has to be declared in sports in the state. However, if the ASSC board is constituted with experienced administrators, the present near helpless situation can be contained,” he predicts.

According to the former Vice Chairman of Anambra State Football Association, “the only way to ensure that the state bounces back to its glory is when the board of the ASSC is functional, which will then engineer the board of other sports associations which should also come on board without much delay. The sports council board would serve as guiding light and then provide the leeway for rapid sports development which is what the state needs most to gainfully engage her teeming youths idling away,” he said.

“I am therefore, appealing to Governor Obiano to extend his good governance, which has been widely acclaimed to sports. The youths of the state are eager to make their state proud through sports. It is the obligation of the state government to provide enabling atmosphere where these youth would train so as to develop their talents. The urgent need to constitute the board of the State Sports Council cannot be over-emphasised. The board should be peopled with vastly knowledgeable men and women who knew what sports is all about administratively. It should not be another breeding ground to compensate party faithful because the state is in dare need of how to encourage her teeming youths that chose to earn their living through sports, therefore only people that knew their onions will know such urgency. It has been my battle cry because of my antecedents in sports both at the state and federal levels are testimonies,” he advised.

Oduah who has served in ASSC twice recalled with nostalgia that it was when the board was in place that the state excelled in sports at the national level and instantly took her pride of place in the comity of high flying sporting states in the federation. He insists that active sports council is the vehicle with which sports thrives in states. Anambra State has tried to be without sports council board all these years and cannot afford to continue with such backwardness.

The former executive committee member and financial director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) added that the numerous youths roaming the streets are potential champions if only they can be gainfully harnessed in the sport of their choice. He further revealed that the state is blessed with such materials and even trained coaches who had been sent to Nigeria Institute for sports for coaching courses.

“These assets have been wasting without anybody looking towards their direction. Such trend he pleads the governor has to reverse,” he remarked.

“Anambra State has many qualified men and women that can effectively administer various sports associations and get the state out of her present back bench position in sports. Sports open up investment and Anambra has all it takes to make great investment out of sports and cannot afford to miss out of the train,” Oduah explained.

The former member of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) informed that the board of ASSC should comprise of notable men and women with visible means of livelihood so that they won’t be dependent on government fund main for the development of sports in the state, individuals’ experiences would help drive effectively the rest of sports. The time is now so that we can take it from there. Once the ASSC is inaugurated other sports in the state will arrive.

The Financial Secretary of Association of Sports Veterans Nigeria believes the board and the Sports Commissioner will put heads together to chart upwardly mobile ambitious sports programme for the state. “Some of Anambraians that have seen it all in sports administration at the highest level at the federal and state would bring our depth exposure to bear to get the state off on sound footing if beaconed upon to come and help out,” he said. 

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 15, 2016

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