The numerous reforms and projects of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government to reposition sports as tools for youth empowerment are yielding results, with the state on the verge of returning as a sports powerhouse in Nigeria.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, said that the reconstruction of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium underscores the visible projects ongoing in the state, even as the state has undertaken numerous initiatives to revive sports, for which Edo used to be renowned.
According to him, “We are undertaking a full overhaul of the sports scene in the state. The stadium is undergoing a total make-over. We have set up the Edo State Sports Commission, which is leading the sports renaissance in the state. This resulted in the good showing of the state at the last National Sports Festival.
“Our teams are also experiencing a renaissance in the age-grade sports competition, showing the tell-tale signs that we are returning to the heydays of dominance in Nigeria’s sports scene.”
He added that these are influenced by the governor’s understanding of the role of sports in human development, especially its unique feature of uniting the people and propelling them to build bonds and work together to achieve results.
“The crowning of the cake is our state being considered as one of the states to host the FIFA 2020 U-20 Women Cup, an honour that would place us on the global map and bring in a lot of foreign attention to our numerous reforms across different spheres of human endeavor,” he added.
