The traditional ruler of Nimo, Njikoka Local Government of Anambra State, Igwe Max Ike-Oliobi, has called on the Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to match his manifesto on sports with requisite funding in the interest of youths in the state.
Ike-Oliobi made the plea when he received in his palace, Patrick-Estate Onyedum, Chairman, Anambra State Sports Development Commission (ASDC), and his management.
Onyedum was in Nimo on tour of select secondary schools with sports facilities that could be used to develop the budding talents in the area. He also visited All Sports Foundation Nimo (ASFAN), an academy owned and managed by Johnny Igboka, a veteran national High Jumper and Head Coach of Anambra Athletics Team.
Ike-Oliobi said sports was crucial to the development and economic emancipation of the child and as such, deserved every attention it could get from the government. He commended Igboka for his passion and what he had been able to do for youths through sports and ASFAN in the past 25 years.
He called on the state government to support the academy with sports facilities. “We are happy that government of Prof. Charles Soludo has remembered us. we are happy for your visit because as a community and individual, we have been doing a lot to help our youths get a life through sports.
“Coach Johnny Igboka has done a lot, in a normal society, he should not be here because he has single handedly been training and producing world champions. He goes cap in hand begging people to support his programmes, and some of them have been donating money and food items.
“I want to beg Gov. Soludo to support academies like this because he has a good plan for sports and with a true sportsman like you, Anambra will go back to the days of glory.
“All I ask is that the governor should provide the funds to implement these good ideas for this academy,” he said.
