Sunday Dare

… Council of Sports  recommends 3-18 December for Edo sports Festival

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare,  has commended the  Delta state Governor  Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for hosting the Council of Sports  Meeting at short notice, even he promised a   new dawn for sports development.

On Friday, at the opening of  the  Council  on Sports,  Mr. Dare said: “What is the council without  the presence of the all states? Delta State has made this possible  at short notice following  the #ENDSARS protests  which made Lagos to pull out. Delta has once again proved that it is a sportsloving state.

After 14 months as Minister, I realised  that we need to do a lot to further  develop  our sports. Nigeria has huge potentials which must be explored to the fullest.  We want a change beyond just attending competition. Sports Development   means grassroots development, infrastructural development, Athletes’ welfare and  business.  We want to change the orientation that sports  is ‘play play’ so that we can have the right template.

Postponement of the National sports Festival  was one of the toughest  decisions due to covid-19 lockdown.  It was timely, we thank God that we all survived  it and very  soon we look forward to  hosting the  Festival.

Edo 2020 engages my mind because of the passion, opportunities  it affords our youth. We desire that this takes place this year. We can work out the modalities, consult PTF  and go to the President for final approval. If we are able to host the festival, it would engage  our youths .

We need to engage our youths  through the Unity Cup. We already started it in Oyo and saw the passion  by the youth.We plan to have Kano, Kwara and Delta Unity Cup.  Each state would be at liberty to decide  the sports  they have most interest in.

The Principal’s  Cup would be national, it is also going to involve  other sports. We must align our development  to what is obtainable  in other parts of the world. We need sporting facilities  in our states. We  are approaching  the Federal  Government  for a bail out fund to put most pf the abandoned  facilities  back. We also  plan to build mini sports centres in all part of the country.  Those that already have would be given facelift.

Council of Sports  recommends December  3rd- 18 for Edo sports Festival

The Technical session of  National  Council on sports has recommended  3 December 2020 for the opening  ceremony  of the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival, with the closing  ceremony  holding on Friday December 18th.

According  to the communiqué issued at the end of the Council meeting, it was agreed that  the games would open on Thursday 3 December, opening ceremony  scheduled  for 5 December, closing ceremony takes place  on Thursday 17 December.

The competition proper is staggered in two phases from 12-16 December.

The communique  noted, “The Virtual meeting held earlier  this year  unanimously agreed to host the Festival  this year. The Committee  of Experts set up  during the Virtual meeting  made  specific   recommendations  regarding the  the successful organisation of  the 20th National Sports Festival. It has become imperative  to tinker with the modus  operandi of the Festival”.

The recommendations  are however  subject to the buy-in  of the  PTF and final approval  by the President and Commander in – Chief   President Mohammadu Buhari.

The festival was postponed few days to the kick off due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in March.