Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan
Just one week after the Presidential Retreat on Sports, the Delta State Government is following suit with a sports summit holding Tuesday at the Grand Hotel in Asaba.
Unlike the Federal government's retreat which was on sports generally, the Asaba Summit which is an initiative of the Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, will be focusing on aquatic sports and track and field.
Interestingly, the man on the driving seat of the new world power in athletics, Jamaica's Track and Field Coach, Bertland Cameron, is among the resource persons expected at the summit.
He will be joined by coach of the South African Olympic gold medal winning rowing team, Barrow Roger, among other renowned sports personalities.
When contacted for the summit, Cameron was ecstatic and happy to be invited to be part of the talk-shop.
“I am really thrilled because when I was competing, Nigeria was at the same level with Jamaica,” he recalled, asking, “what happened to Nigeria? It will be my pleasure to come down to Nigeria and discuss with you how Jamaica is excelling in athletics.”
Top sports personalities like former Nigeria international, Adokiye Amiesimaka, Chairman of the Vanguard Newspapers Editorial board Ikeddy Isiguzo, veteran sports journalist, Paul Bassey, a former President of NAPHER –SD, Dr Ojeme Emmanuel, the Managing Director of Complete Communications, Mumini Alao, Managing Director Mastersports International, Ejiro Omonode, Vanguard Group Sports Editor, Onochie Anibeze are among those who will submit papers at the summit.
The idea to hold a sports summit was conceived by the Delta State governor when Nigeria's athletes failed to win any medal at the London Olympic Games.
Gov Uduaghan decided on the summit after a heart-to-heart discussion with Blessing Okagbare whom a country of 150 million people relied on for a possible gold medal in the athletics events of the London 2012.
It was conceived even before the Presidential retreat that took place in Abuja last Monday. Delta decided to go ahead with it as was originally scheduled to be their contribution to the national sports development, to complement the efforts of the federal government.
The report of the Delta Summit in Asaba will be submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Sports Commission.