Suleiman Anyalewechi, Aba
The Chairman Abia State Gymnastics Association, AGA, Mr Chidi Okpanku has called on Gov Alex Otti to as a matter of necessity extend his transformational agenda to the sports sector, with a view to harnessing the abundant talents that abound in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
To this end, he has appealed for the empowerment of the state Sports Council, to enable it embark on talent hunt at the grassroots to fish out hidden athletes that have the potentials to bring glory to the state at both national and international competitions.
In a press statement issued and made available to newscritic.com.ng at the weekend in Aba the AGA boss, lamented that Abia State over the years has not been able to fully occupy its preeminent position in sports due to the inability to leverage on the pool of talents in various sporting events, noting that the few that through self-efforts have found themselves out there have been giving good accounts of themselves.
Mr Okpanku recalled how two Abia born gymnasts, the duo of Chinille and Francisca Okpanku, aged between 9 and 13 years have since 2021 been making waves, winning laurels for Abia and Nigeria, at both national and international competitions.
Okpanku noted that the two young stars, after their exploits at the National Youth and Adult Sports Festivals, where they won medals to place Abia among the best participating States in Gymnastics, went ahead to represent the country in Dubai UAE in 2022, won Gold in South Africa and thereafter were hosted by former Vice president Prof Yemi Osibanjo on return.
Abia is blessed with talented youths who should be encouraged. We are appealing to the government to put the required machineries on the ground, to identify and support the abundant young talents to achieve their Olympic dreams, which will at the same time bring honour to Abia and Nigeria as a whole.
