African Wrestling Championship: All eyes on Gov. Wike News

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African Wrestling Championship: All eyes on Gov. Wike

By Daily Sports on January 29, 2018

Let’s begin this article this way: Governor Nyesom Wike is the Governor of Rivers State. He is a man of many parts. He is a strong believer in equal rights and good life to all citizens. He is a team worker of all times, a promise keeper and sundry.

Dear reader, do permit me to describe him further as one man that never betrays as he keeps to agreements to the letter.

I have met him twice, the first was far back when he was a Local Government Chairman and the second was when he was Minister of State for Education.

As a Local Government boss, he was down to earth, working round the clock and as Minister the story did not change. In summary therefore, the Governor is a workaholic of the first order. You can’t beat him to working harder and agenda setting.

When he resigned his ministerial job to vie for the governorship of Rivers State, among all the people that lined up for the 2015 race in PDP, PPA, APC and others, I picked him ahead of others as the most suitable for the job in the state and prayed that he be given the mandate, pronto it came to pass. The good people of the state are ripping the fruits of choosing him to lead them.

One other strong aspect of him is his doggedness in any cause he believes in. He has this never say die attitude which is mainly why he tackles and surmounts with ease, the multiple challenges in the state. For his listening ears, he has been on top of matters in the state.

Looking at Gov. Wike from afar, you won’t see the humanist in him. He is roundly kind hearted and passionate about the lives of people. His major headache has been how amenities that would alleviate their sufferings would be put in place. His compassion for people especially women and children remains worthy of emulation. He knows that every hardship in the land affects mostly women and children; therefore he ensures nothing would cause such abnormal situation around him and his people hence he has his ears always on the ground. He works hard and instructs his subordinates to do likewise.

Governor Wike is urbane and unassuming too. Don’t let his 'always ready for work’ posture deceive you. That is his style and his covenant with the people of Rivers State. He has spread development across the nooks and crannies of the state despite peddling of falsehood and dangerous tackles by Rivers State chapter of APC and the lame duck Federal Government that controls it.

It is instructive to note here that if not for the thick skin of the Governor and his resolve to deliver dividends of democracy to his people, the kind of distraction from the opposition in the state can make a lily livered person to take wrong steps, thereby betraying his people that overwhelmingly reposed confidence in him.

This Reporter was in the state on a privately sponsored visit to see things for himself before putting this write up together. The month long visit took me to many projects areas completed and ongoing in the state. The general feeling among many people I met on ground, the down trodden was unanimous in all ramifications that the Governor has done extremely well.

Don’t see all these as digression. No, they are part and parcel of our workload for this week on this page. Getting firm grip of who the Governor of River State is will go a long way in appreciating the enormous work he has done and also the storms he has weathered in defence of his state and the people since 2015 when he mounted the saddle as the chief executive of the oil rich state.

Writing on sports in Rivers State this week would be a deserved interlude and taking a brief break from the build up to the 2018 World Cup which has taken the front burner all over the globe especially among countries that would be in Russia for the summit. This tradition has come to be the norm every World Cup year and Sports Journalists all over the globe have promptly created ways feasting on such well sort after reportage.

Daily Sports has joined the traditional and online media within which it has became a strong voice to join forces to ensure our readers won’t lack information on how teams especially the Super Eagles would be competing in the World Cup and its preparations.

I toured the stadia in the state and discovered that the Governor has given a face lift to facilities and infrastructures to the extent that I nearly could not recognise Adokie Amesiemeka Sports Complex. Sports complexes in the state have been fitted with the latest facilities and the lawns and pitches wear all lush green with very glittering and echoing tartan tracks well laid. Some of the athletes that spoke with me thumbed up the Governor for vastly improving their well being.

Facilities in the sports complexes measure up to international standard which signifies the readiness of Governor Wike and his people to host the forthcoming African Wrestling Championship, which will draw the attention of the world to the state.

To put it mildly numerous die-hard wrestling fans from across the globe will view the championship which the River State government is poised to host. The world-class facilities fitted for that purpose warms the minds and gives one great sense of pride, belonging and responsibility that after all Nigeria can provide such one-stop wrestling rings and mats. Governor Wike sounded it loud and clear from the onset that no stone is being left unturned in spirited efforts of the Garden City State to stage the first African sporting event that would not only showcase the capabilities of the state and country to organise such global events but also launder the nation’s image.

Since he became the first citizen of Rivers State, I have not gotten the opportunity to meet him even by chance to commend him for his doggedness and steadfastness to his people despite man-made odds. He does not joke with his date with his people. Truly, he’s a leader’s leader and that his attitude to work has largely endeared him greatly to his people - the high, the mighty and foremost, the down trodden masses. My surprise to the bone marrow remains even the pepper, tomatoes, bread sellers and sundry in the state are aware of the upcoming African Wrestling Championship that Rivers State will play host to - February 5 -11 in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The Garden City African Wrestling showpiece, going by facilities on ground will be a memorable event. Little wonder therefore, the very confident Governor Wike was quoted to have said that one of the main reasons for this sporting event is to show example.

If you have missed out or in doubt over the extent of preparedness of the Governor and his people for this Champ, here’s a recap…

Rivers State, Gov. Nyesom Wike, has explained why the state decided to host the forthcoming African Wrestling Championship in Port Harcourt.

The championship, which will involve wrestlers from 25 African countries, takes place from February 5 - 11 at the Alfred Diete Spiff Sports Complex in the state capital.

The sports-loving Governor added that it is the need to set a template for other states and also give Nigeria an assemblage of athletes in the sport.

According to Gov. Wike, “We want to set an example with this event for other states and even private people to emulate. We are going to stage a world-class competition and we expect it to give a direction to our administrators and other people involved in sports.

“Because of the competition, we have worked so hard to put many things in place like having a quality venue, good accommodation and all logistics to guarantee a good event.

“The competition will be a big show for all participants because we are going to make a statement on how to stage such events. I am aware it is the first time in 44 years of wrestling in the country that we are hosting Africa, so we will give our best.”

The President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, also stated that he was elated that wrestlers from different categories would represent the country at the championship.

Igali said 90 wrestlers would represent the country in the championship with a total of 180 in three camps.

“I am happy that the young athletes we have now will be useful in future. We have never had a large group together. It is a positive development for the sport,” the Olympic gold medallist said.

Obviously, Rivers State is ready to host a competition where only the best and fittest will be showcased in the ring.

It is already the talk of the town as the buildup mounts. Its mileage and impact on the state and Nigeria cannot be over emphasised. Gov. Wike is one person that never runs away from responsibilities without taking them to a logical end. And this forthcoming international sporting gathering won’t be an exception.

He sets his eyes on the best practices. He has done well in sports, touching the welfare of athletes and supporting their day to day training with best and modern facilities in the sporting arenas in the state. He does not discriminate like most of his colleagues focused only on football and allow other sports and their athletes to suffer. It is safe to insist that he is the father of all sports in River State.

As the countdown continues, the event is attracting much interest, informed commentaries, attention and positive discourse from the majority of athletes, fans and stakeholders alike even from outside the state. Let us shift our discussion further as usual to WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Keep shooting hard, till next week!

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 29, 2018