Returning Anambra To Her Glorious Days In Sports A Task Before The New Chairman Of Sports Commission
By Damian Egwuonwu
Team Anambra is presently missing out on the medal table among the first five teams in National competitions. It is warrisome and a source of concern to well meaning people of the state that their state is now playing second fiddle to other states in sports.
In the then Green Eagles squad of eleven players,six members of the national team who were Rangers of Enugu players are from Anambra state.
The first Nigerian Athlete to win gold outside the shores of the country was late major Emma Ifeajuna from Onitsha, who in 1954 Commonwealth Games in Canada achieved this great feat in high jump and for more than twenty_five years Mary Onyeali_Omagbemi an indigene of the state ruled Africa as queen of the tracks as she has no rival in the entire Continent in short distance races.
Late Godwin Iweobi Achebe was the captain of the then Green Eagles squad of Nigeria from 1958 to 1970 the Skipper with the longest tenure.The record of Francis obikwelu of Nkwelle_Ezunaka is still unequalled in the men’s two hundred metres event.
The dwindling fortunes of the state in sports started manifesting with the abandonment of school sports by the authorities leading to the indiscrimate erection of structures in every available space in schools, while the wearing of sports wears on Wednesday by students without active participation in sporting activities was the order of the day.
lnterhouse Sports competitions which in the past use to be an avenue for the discovery of promising athletes lost it’s glamour while other states started luring the few available athletes of the state to their own with mouth watering incentives.
The state athletes now constitute a significant proportion of other states Teams to National and international competitions.
For the state to regain her lost glories in sports all efforts should be directed towards reviving school sports and the state Academicals.
In the past these avenues were recognised as breeding grounds for young promising athletes.
The inauguration of sports Associations is a veritable means of engaging the private sector in the sponsorship of sporting events for the discovery of talents.
If every sports Association stage at least three competitions a year it will go along way in providing the required training for athletes for peak performance.
Anambra tertiary institute Games ANSTIGA in the past use to provide Team Anambra with athletes for national and international competitions.
The services of these class of athletes are not longer available because they have been relegated to the background.The newly appointed chairman of Anambra state sports Development commission Mr Patrick Estate onyedum is not a stranger in the sports frantanity for he has successfully paid his dues in sports development.
He is presently the chairman of the state Athletics association, representing the entire south East in the Athletics federation of Nigeria.Apart from the sponsorship of the south East Zonal Athletics championship,the new sports boss in the state was a renowned sprinter and the brain behind the annual anaocha Athletics championship.
Much is expected from him during the Delta State national sports festival since he has the capacity to deliver and cannot afford to disappoint the good people of the state.
Mr onyedum is expected to surpass the all time best record of team Anambra at Benue 96 National sports festival.There is urgent need to encourage the state athletes to sort for medals beyond combatant games since members of team Anambra have shown dominance in this area.
There is need to exploit other sports which includes track and field,ball games,stick and Racket games,throws and indoor games during the sports jamboree in Asaba.
The state football Association is now under a capable hand in the person of Mr chikelue iloenyosi,a former super Eagles player who has since commenced grassroot football development program for different age groups.The present administration in the state is getting it right in sports.
The state athletes cannot give their best without the upgrading of the existing sporting facilities as no effort should be spared in ensuring that every council area in the state is provided with basic facilities to enhance sports Development.
The FIFA Goal project Stadium at Amansea abandoned many years ago due to politics need attention while the new awka Township stadium need training pitch to extend the lifespan of the facility.The chuba ikpeazu and Godwin Achebe stadia in Onitsha need urgent rehabilitation.
The highly publicized Olympics size swimming pool constructed for the 2020 police Games at the Dr Alex Ekwueme square awka is now a place of abode for rodents,wild grasses and other small animals occupying the facility built with millions of hard earned tax payers money.
The immediate past leadership of the state sports commission awarded the contract to himself and the poorly executed project was not even fit for use by the police athletes and the culprit is moving about freely as if nothing happened.
In the interest of accountability the new chairman of the state sports Development commission should constitute a panel of inquiry to recover every Kobo of the state government spent on the failed swimming pool project.
As sports enthusiasts in the state wait patiently for the commencement of activities it is expected that other capable hands should be drafted to help the new chairman of the state sports commission in a bid to return Anambra to her former pride of place in sports.
Damian Egwuonwu is a member Sports writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Anambra state chapter
