The Deputy Governor of the State, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John -Jonah made the plea, when the South-South Zonal Coordinator of the National Sports Commission, Mr Sunny Obot presented the Torch of Unity for the 19thNational Sports Festival to him at the Peace Park in Yenagoa.
He said the move would not only nurture the innate talents of the teeming youths but will also enable them to channel their energies to positive ventures, build friendships and bridges of unity across the country.
Describing sports as a unifying factor and a money spinner all over the world, the Deputy Governor expressed concern over the dwindling fortunes of inter schools sports festivals in the country and stressed the need to revive it.
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In his remarks, the South-South Zonal Coordinator of the National Sports Commission, Mr Sunny Obot, said the presentation of the Torch of Unity to the state government was in recognition of Bayelsa’s excellent performance in producing Olympic and African champions, as well as to invite the state to participate in the 19th national sports festival.
Mr Obot, who noted that the torch of unity signifies peace, was flagged off by President Muhammadu Buhari on the 1st of last month and has since been going around the geopolitical zones of the country.
He further explained that the National Sports Festival has come to stay to promote peace and stability in all states of the federation.
Also in his contribution, the state’s Commissioner for Sports Development, Mr Prekiye Buruboyefe, expressed the preparedness of the state’s athletes to compete in the Festival, stating that, although the athletes were expected to be in camp last week Monday, he assured that they would go into camp soon.
“Well I want to thank you, you know the sport is an everyday thing. Whether we like it or not we have been preparing our athletes from day one to this minute, it is important we stay in camp but the fact that we are not in camp doesn’t make that we are not prepared.
“We are more or less like soldiers prepared for war anytime. Yes, we are doing all we can to ensure that, under normal circumstances, we are to be in camp from last Monday but things don’t always work the way we want.
“Be that as it may we are hoping we are going into camp very soon and we assure you that we are very prepared. We are not God like I said but I expect that we will be among the top.“
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