|
4th Kogi State Bankers Cup
Kicks off
… Not less than eight already registered Banks Register
Not less than eight banks in the state have already registered for
the fourth edition of the Kogi State Bankers Cup competition
scheduled to kick off soon.
The co-ordinator of the competition and the chairman of the
Confluence Queen, Football Club of Lokoja, Referee Peter Oguche ,
disclosed this to Graphisports in Lokoja during the week.
Oguche said the registration for the 2008 edition of the competition
in the state has begun in earnest with many of the Commercial Banks
expressing their willingness to participate.
The Co-ordinator who had already donated ten throphiesof football
and sponsored all the competitions explained that the Bankers
competition is not limited to Kogi State but a nationwide exercise.
He stressed that since its inception four years ago, the competition
has fully achieved the purpose of its introduction which includes
unity, upliftment of football and mutual interaction among the Banks
and the indigenes of the state.
Explaining further, Oguche disclosed that after stabilizing the
competition (Bankers Cup) in the state, he would also explore the
possibility of moving to Abuja to expand the scope.
The co-ordinator who commended the state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim
Idris, and the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports for giving a
fertile land for the growth of sports in the state called on
corporate bodies and individuals to join hands with the government
to move sports forward in the state.
Engage Youths in Sports to Check Vices – Prof. Idachaba
The Vice Chancellor of the Kogi State University (KSU), Anyigba,
Professor Francis S. Idachaba, OFR has stressed the need to engage
youths in sports to check vices like cultism, hooliganism, and
gangsterism.
Professor Idachaba made the observation during the Grand Finale of
the 2nd Inter-Faculty Sports Competition held recently at the
University Stadium.
Said he, “in this era of cultism in our tertiary institutions, it
has become imperative for administrators of higher institutions to
place emphasis on sports development in order to engage our youths
meaningfully in our tasks to take them away from vices of cultism,
hooliganism, gangsterism, etc…”
The Vice Chancellor described the University Games as an avenue for
social interaction among Nigerian students, stressing that sports
should not only be encouraged but should be supported as well.
Professor Idachaba assured that the KSU Management would strive to
support mass participation in sports by students rather than wait
for huge resources to build magnificent sports complexes.
On the way forward for sports excellence in KSU, the Vice Chancellor
said: “It is my earnest belief that you will take advantage of the
competition to select competent athletes who will represent the
University at the next NUGA Games”.
Meanwhile the Director of Sports, Kogi State University (KSU),
Anyigba, Mr. S.A. Okpanachi, has bemoaned the poor state of sporting
facilities in the institution.
Okpanachi who made the observation during the closing ceremony of
the 2nd Inter-Faculty Sports Competition, stated that the
University’s Football pitch inherited from the defunct Anyigba
Agricultural Development Project (AADP) was in bad state, stressing
that the pitch needed urgent regressing.
According to him, the Handball and Basketball courts “are being
improvised as the games were played on the available field spaces in
front of two male hostels.”
He lamented that Table Tennis and Badminton which were indoor games
were now being played out-doors, while Swimming Pool facilities,
standard Athletic track and Gymnastic sports hall were non-existent.
The Director appealed to management to, as a matter of urgency,
provide the Sports Unit with equipment and wears and also to take a
second glance at the dilapidating sports facilities, with a view to
upgrading them.
He stressed the need to have sporting activities regularly, saying
that “a healthy mind can only be found in a healthy body”.
Okpanachi said apart from the Greek Sports “Philosophy of a healthy
mind in a healthy body, sports could serve as a vehicle to develop
the physical, emotional, and mental ideals of the individual
students”.
Kwara Referees Council Honour Four Kogi Referees
For their outstanding contributions to the growth and development of
the Kwara Referees council, four members of the Kogi State council
have been honoured.
The letter conveying their award was signed by Mr. S.A. Fowomora the
chairman and M.A. Mohammed the Secretary.
The statement said the council acknowledged the past and continued
contributions of the four referees towards the growth and
development since inception till date.
The honour which is part of the 2008 Kwara State Referees Day was
held at the weekend and attended by eminent sports guru from parts
of the country.
The four referees include deacon David Owolabi, Mr. Augustine
Ogunmola, Hon. Musta[ha Allah-dey, Mr. M.O Jegede, Mr. Adams Yahaya
and S.S Bello
Memory of Beijing 2008, behold the Super Stars
The Beijing Olympics, the 29th Olympiad in the series, has come and
gone but the memory would continue to linger on especially in the
next four years when another Olympics is expected to hold.
As it is the tradition with games of this magnitude, many stars were
made while on the other hands many were unmade.
Though, it is not possible to catalogue the thrills and frills that
trailed the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a few of these would be visited
in this edition for the records of our fans and they include.
Michael Phelps
Phelps achievements include a record of eight medals at the 2004
gold with two Bronze, tying the Olympic record for medals at a
single Olympics held by Alexander, Dityatin since 1980.
Phelps was named world swimmer of the year four times in 2003, 2004,
2006 and 2007 before the swimming events in the Olympics started.
Phelps had said he would win eight gold medals for his country and
true to his word, the man considered the best swimmer in the world
won all the gold medals in every swimming events that he
participated in.
Phelps was born on June 30, 1985 in the United States of America.
Kenenisa Bekele
For five years in a row from 2002 through 2006, Kenenisa Bekele took
both 4km and long 12 km races at the IAF World Cross country
championships, a feat no other runner has accomplished even once.
In 2004, he broke the world records for the indoor 5,000m.
In this year’s edition of the Olympic, Kenenisa Bekele really took
the world by storm by winning the 5,000 and 10,000m gold medals to
emerge the first male runner to achieve that in 28 years. He was
born in Ethiopia on August 9, 1982.
He planned to be a mechanic before he took up running while studying
at Kingston Jamaica. His elder brother Donovah was a 100m semi
finalist in the 1999 world championships.
Powell who lost the 100m individual world record to Bolt this year,
was also instrumental in the Jamaica 4x100m relay team that won the
gold medal.
|
