By Okiemute Okpomor
ASABA – Delta State Government has restated its commitment to the discovery
of young talents in sports and developing them into world champions.
This commitment was given by Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta
State in Asaba during the closing ceremony of the Summer Tennis Clinic
for children organised by the Duke Odizor Tennis Foundation in
collaboration with State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and
the State Tennis Association.
He said that there were many underdeveloped talents in the country just as he called on parents and guardians to help in discovering and developing their children’s talents for the good of the family and the state at large.
According to Senator Okowa, “I want to congratulate Duke Odizor for
organising this clinic, it will help in the discovery of young talents
and identify ways of grooming them up for the good of the nation and
state.
“It is my hope that the next Odizor should come from Delta
State, I hope that we will continue to deliver the young talents that
we have in sports including tennis.
” We need to groom the young ones in primary and secondary schools so that they can become world champions. I want to assure Mr Odizor of government’s participation in the development of the talents at the primary and secondary schools, we are ready to partner with you at this levels.”
The governor disclosed that government would organise athletics and tennis competitions for primary and secondary schools and extend the already existing secondary schools football competition to the primary schools with a view to harnessing talents at a much younger age.
While commending Mr. Duke Odizor who was ranked fifty-two in world
tennis during his playing days for investing in the younger generation, Senator Okowa said that government would continue to partner with him in his quest for raising future World Champions in tennis from the state.
Earlier, Mr. Duke Odizor, organiser of the tennis clinic and former international tennis player said he believed in the ability of Deltans in becoming future sports champions, he appealed to government to partner with his Foundation with a view to harness the huge untapped sports talents in the state just as he promised to organise these tennis clinics quarterly.
In his comments, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary
Education disclosed that Delta State was ranked first in sports, pointing out that the tennis clinic had provided a platform for the discovery of new talents.
