Delta State young athletes have appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to extend the tenure of the Chairman of the Sports Commission, Chief Tonobok Okowa, for at least two years, to enable him to “fine-tune” their sporting career.
Okowa’s second tenure as chairman of Delta Sports Commission will end in February, 2024, but the young athletes felt he needs another tenure to groom a ‘good successor’, and at the same time, help them steady their sporting career.
“I was told by our coach that the tenure of our chairman will end in February next year. We want our sports-loving Governor to listen to our appeal by extending his tenure for the sake our young sporting career. Okowa is a good father to all of us, and he has the interest Delta sports at heart. We want him to stay, even if it another two years to enable him groom a good replacement. Like he did to other young athletes by helping them to secure scholarship in the United States, we want Okowa to help build our sporting career before he leaves office,” Efetobore, a gymnastics athlete told The Guardian shortly after the colourful opening ceremony on Saturday.
Another young athlete, Ossai, a volleyball player, also pleaded with Governor Oborevwori to give Okowa another tenure saying: “Delta is Nigeria’s number one sporting state, and it takes a man with great quality to sustain the tempo. My parents stay close to Warri stadium, and I was told the Governor is renovating the place.”
I thank him for that. But we want our chairman to stay for another tenure for our sake. We don’t need a selfish person to come into the Sports Commission now. He should allow Okowa to stay for another four years to help groom someone for the position. I am sure other athletes will agree with us.”
Also speaking, an athletics coach said it will be rewarding for the governor to the voices of the young athletes saying: “Our sports need an intelligent person. Okowa has proven his quality as a great mobilizer and manager of men and materials. He should be given another tenure, even if it two years. It is allowed in sports. The president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee Habu Gumel has been in office for many years. Delta can take a cue from it.”
Meanwhile, Governor Oborivwori was said to be angry with the Mobilasation Committee for its alleged shoddy arrangement for the opening ceremony on Saturday.
The committee was said to have received huge amount of money to mobilise children from 20 schools as well as 2000 Youth Corpers for the event. The sum of N100,000 was said to have been allocated for each school.
An official close to the Governor told The Guardian that he was angry over the empty stand at the Stephen Keshi stadium despite the fact that the opening ceremony was done in the afternoon.
But the official in charge of the mobilasation committee, Moses Etu, said yesterday that the fault was from the school. “They claimed that they could not gather enough students since the opening ceremony took place on a Saturday. But some brought 10 students, while some 15 and 20 students.”
