Charles Aniagwu, Delta State Commissioner for Information, has said that the high spirit and love that exist among the athletes participating in the ongoing 21st edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF), could bring the country to a point of peace and security.
Aniagwu, who is the festival’s sub-committee chairman on media/publicity, stated this at the Stephen Keshi International Stadium, Asaba, while addressing newsmen on the update of the activities on the festival tagged, ‘Delta 2022.’
He described the unity and love amongst athletes as the New Nigeria every citizen envisages.
“The high spirit and love that exist amongst the athletes, irrespective of their tribes, political affiliations, religions, and geographical inclination is sure to bring Nigeria to the point of peace and security.
He said that NSF was to build the bond of unity as a country, wherein the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) moving in one direction as a people and also to discover talents that would represent the country during international sports competitions so as to be able to produce the likes of Tobi Amusan.
He appreciated the state athletes for displaying their talents by taking the lead in pulling in three gold medals and wished that other contingents would compete favourably with them.
He said the competition was needed to motivate the athletes to put in their best to break new grounds and discover talents.
While disclosing that sporting activities scheduled for the festival were going on simultaneously at various locations, he said that with all the happenings it was obvious that new talents would emerge.
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“The events are going on simultaneously as planned. The hitches in some areas are being addressed in terms of some facilities that some individuals felt they were not functioning the way they should, not that they were not in place.
The event is progressing smoothly. As at Wednesday, Delta State had already taken the lead. As much as three gold medal had already been taken and we are hoping that other contingents will compete very favourably.
“We want them to make the effort to overtake even if we know they will not be able to overtake us.
“We need that kind of competition to further ginger our athletes to put in their best. because that way, we will be able to break new grounds and discover new talents.
The whole essence of the festival was to bring unity in the country, moving in one direction as a people even as we discover new talents, he stated.
Sunday Dare, minister of Youths and Sports, had during the official opening ceremony on Wednesday, disclosed that the athletes would be competing in over 30 different sports in the next two weeks.
He described the festival as Nigeria’s own version of the Olympic Games.
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