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Giving justification for the Sports Festival, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku,
stressed the festival’s significance in fostering unity and providing career pathways for young athletes.
He said the festival, which would take place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, was part of the NDDC’s 25th-anniversary celebrations.
Ogbuku said: “We are here to talk about the Niger Delta Sports Festival. We have to work on our diversity and ensure that we have unity in diversity. We might be diverse in tongues, culture and tradition. Still, we are united as Niger Deltans because God has brought us together into one geographical region where we have common ecological and environmental challenges.”
“The creation of the NDDC aims to address most of these challenges. So, if there is one identity we have as the people of the Niger Delta, it is the NDDC. For that reason, we thought that the identity could not only be projected by carrying out road construction and other infrastructural development. To promote that identity, we must also build regional integration. In building and fostering regional integration, we thought it wise to come up with the maiden edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival.”
“Secondly, we need to harness the talents of our youths in sports; Niger Delta athletes and sportsmen lead the way. We have amateur athletes who can grow into professionals. Statistics show that Niger Deltans have dominated in so many sports in Nigeria. When it comes to athletics, Niger Delta has always been number one, winning medals even at the level of the Olympic games.”
He told the governor: “We are here to secure your partnership to ensure a successful festival. We are very optimistic because Akwa Ibom has the right facilities to accommodate the 20 sporting events planned fo the festival. The Godswill Akpabio International Stadium is a perfect venue for the festival.”
Ogbuku presented a letter formally requesting the Akwa Ibom State government to be a host and partner for the Sports Festival.
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