Permanent Secretary of the Edo State Ministry of Education, Mrs. S. I. Imasuen, has stated that the National Schools Sports Festival is a veritable avenue to identify and nurture young athletes that we make the state and, indeed, the nation proud.
She stated this at the inauguration of the state chapter of the Nigeria School Sports Federation(NSSF) which she is heading as chairman.
“Through sports at the school level we are able to identify very good athletes that will represent our state and our nation at different levels and win laurels for us.
“So, I am very glad that this(National Schools Sports Festival) is coming up again because even at a particular time the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF) was not very active and schools decided whether or not to carry out any sporting activity.
“But now that we are reinvigorating the development of sports in the state and putting this committee together again which is being recognised at the national level I want to believe that sports development in Edo State would be taken to a higher height,” she submitted.
Going further, she said that the major objective of the Nigeria School Sports Festival is the physical and mental development of the children.
“You know that’s a child that develops very well, especially mentally, that is able to do very well in the class.
“As you are aware Edo State is a sports loving state. Through sports activities like this in our schools we are able to identify young athletes that will represent our state and even the nation at large.
“So, I am very happy that we are doing this(inauguration) now. And I want to charge everyone of us to take this assignment very seriously.”
Members of the 10 man committee representing different stakeholders in sports in the state are Sunny Airende, Dame Awawu Azuh, Moses Agbonlahor, Benson Chuks Usenegbu, Charity Igbinosa, Prof. Sam Adodo, Rosemary Amadasun, Ehileboh Thomas, Momodu Shehu and Okusor Fidelis.
