Pix: Imo deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere receiving Award of Excellence for his contribution in sports development by Imo State YSFON Chairman, Comrade Sunny Opara
Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere has called on well-meaning Nigerians to support sports development in the Society.
Imo Deputy Governor stated this yesterday when the Managing Director of Monarch and Co and the Imo State executive members of Youths Sports Federation of Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit at his official resident in Owerri.
Prince Madumere who promised to partner with YSFON to host first female football competition in Imo State in collaboration with other stakeholders said sports development has in no little way contributed to the unity of various communities, States and the nation at large.
While decrying the spate of vices and crimes especially the area of cultism, armed robbery and most recently the rampant cases of rapes, he opined that engaging youths positively will reduce or curb the unfortunate trend.
Speaking further, Prince Madumere also said that the focus has always been more on the boys paying less attention to the girls. He said the women due this societal neglect has led them to also join what used to be male vices are fast being taken over by the girls. He therefore proposed a balanced attention to the both sexes as he said Governor Okorocha has been the great encouragement and motivator towards his effort at youth empowerment through sports and other means.
Prince Madumere proposed in collaboration with Youths Sports Federation of Nigeria and his partners from Monarch and Co represented by Uche Lebechi to host first female football competition in Imo State.
He however called on well-meaning Nigerians who have the means to invest in sports development so as to enhance unity and harmony in the society.
He stressed that gains in engaging youths in sporting activities cannot be over emphasized. He said sports will be ultimately become a career path for the gifted ones. He narrated the need to begin to build for the future athletes who will take over from the present athletes when they become old.
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He however explained that as a young star, he got indulged positively in sports and that kept him away from trouble since the acts preoccupies the minds of the youths.
It will be recalled that Imo number two citizen has variously sponsored sporting activities. One of such efforts spanned over thirty years when he sponsored Prince Eze Madumere Unity Cup with a view to uniting the units towards achieving peace when there was intra-community skirmishes.
Recently, Prince Madumere in collaboration with Monarch and Co. sponsored prince Eze Madumere Athletics Championship for both Secondary and Primary School.
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Speaking earlier, the State Chairman of Youths Sports Federation of Nigeria, Comrade Sunny Opara said they visited to commend the Deputy Governor for his contributions towards sports developments in the State.
He reminded other guests how Prince Madumere has helped to rally round the youths in various sporting event from football to athletes as he also extolled Prince Madumere for his recently concluded Prince Eze Madumere Athletics Championship.
Comrade Opara also used the opportunity to seek Deputy Governor’s endorsement and sponsorship of Female football competition in the State, which he said will include the participation of the twenty seven local governments of Imo State.
He explained that with an effort in the direction, Imo State could give Imo State the opportunity to come with a State female team.
He also assured that the opportunity could also launch some of the talented players to making National team and probably playing professional football abroad.
In the same vein, the Managing Director of Monarch and Co, West Africa, Mr. Uche Lebechi commended the move as he commended Imo Deputy Governor for his interest in youth development.
Mr. Lebechi assured that his company is ready will ever partner with the Deputy Governor of Imo State to achieve his desired goal in development of sports especially at the young age to enable them discover their talents. He also explained that he is a beneficiary of such gesture whenhe was discovered at the secondary school level and later became a State athlete and even beyond. He therefore assured the Deputy Governor of their participation.