Patrick Estate Onyedum, Chairman of Anambra Sports Commission, says his Commission will prioritize the State’s grassroots sports development by focusing on repositioning its sports associations.

 

“We have identified that the way to begin our quest for winning sports laurels is by developing from the grassroots,” Onyedum says during a familiarisation visit to his office by Tony Nezianya, the newly elected Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) in Awka, the Anambra capital.

 

Onyedum adds that his Commission has taken inventory of the performance and contributions of the previous boards.

 

Onyedum notes, “There is no doubt that a few made sterling contributions for which we are indeed happy, but a number of them are dying.

 

“We shall seek the approval of the state government to reactivate the associations by formally dissolving the previous boards.

 

“We shall certainly have some goals in mind in reconstituting the boards. We hope to use the association to discover the many talents that abound in the State, which must be made clear to the chairpersons of their executive committee members.

 

“They must seek to hold regular meetings and competitions by raising funds from the private sector to support their sport which will invariably support the government. Government cannot develop sports on its own.

 

“We shall allow new associations and sports to grow in our state.”

 

Onyedum, who served the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, hopes to allow relatively new federations to flourish in Anambra.

 

“We shall allow them so long as these facilitate the state’s human development index and our quest for medals and honors for our state from local and international sports competitions,” Onyedum insists.

 

“We do not have all the resources to develop our sports and infrastructure. We shall encourage those that will attract infrastructure development to support the growth and development of sports in Anambra.”

 

Earlier in the visit, Nezianya requested Onyedum to allow federations like the Nigeria Triathlon Federation to establish an affiliate Association in Anambra state.

 

Triathlon, an Olympic sport, is a three-in-one sport-Cycling, distance running, and swimming-where an athlete can win Olympic gold by amassing points.

Onyedum agrees and adds: “There are others who may wish to make similar requests. Let’s welcome them. They may be the ones that can secure the State the honors we have been looking for.”

 

Nezianya has served twice in two previous Olympiads, from 2001 to 2005 and 2005 to 2009.