Cross Rivers State Host stakeholders Forum for 19th National Sports Festival tagged “Centenary Games”
Theme – Relish The Paradise Experience
19th National Sports Festival – Cross Rivers 2014 ” Centenary Games” stakeholders Forum held monday at the Wheatbaker Hotel, IKOYI, Lagos
The first presentation at the forum was made by Chris Parkes, of Chris Parkes Marketing, Marketing consultant to the games who enumerated the abundant mileage to be gotten by prospective sponsors and partners. Parkes posited that
“Sponsorship without reward is a merely a donation” and that the drive for sponsorship for the National sports festival would not be a “one way thing”
Sponsors stand to get a lot of Exposure for their brands from the “massive media blitz” that’s being planned by the organisers.
He also mentioned that the Centenary Games will be happening side by side the Annual Calabar Christmas Funfair.
Centenary Games ambassador and former Olympian Mary Onyali-Omagbemi during her presentation Acknowledged the massive support that the late MKO Abiola gave her and other athletes. She said MKO attended virtually every game were she was competing.
She however seized the opportunity to call on Corporate Nigeria to join her in her “Adopt A Talent” programme.
Her plan is to have different corporate bodies and individuals adopt an upcoming athlete and help with preparing the athlete towards the forthcoming “Rio 2014 Olympics”
One very distinct factor about the forthcoming National sports festival in Calabar is that it has been thrown open for the first time in the history of the games Onyali Announced.
This is to give all Nigerian athletes from home and abroad an opportunity to compete thereby providing a platform for them to be recognised and also possibly get drafted into the Nigerian national teams.
Prior to now previous editions was limited solely to homebased amateur athletes.
Onyali’s Presentation was followed by “The Investiture of Patrons”
Which was anchored by Hon Patrick Ugbe – Honourable Commissioner of Sports Cross River state . The investiture of the Three Patrons was done by the Governor Of Cross River State.
They are Alhaji Aliko Dangote who was represented by Mr Joseph Makoju.
Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw of the NDDC was the Second Patron to be presented with “certificate” by the Governor Of Cross Rivers, followed by Mr Tunde Folawiyo of Folawiyo Industries who also unavoidably absent but he was represented by Mr Jide Coker.
Then came the address of the Chief host of the event Governor Liyel Imoke , he like all the other speakers at this “Stakeholders Forum” emphasised the importance of private sector participation in Sports development.
He said Estimated cost of hosting the games is put at about 8billion Naira. And that the state government had already started Spending by investing massively in sports infrastructure development, which is also a part of the estimated cost.
Governor Liyel Imoke also said that Calabar as also been the home of The Super Eagles and Golden Eaglets, and both teams have not lost a single game played Calabar in the past to years.
“We are going to use technology to make this games the best ever in the history of the games” he said.
All aspects of the games will be properly put together to ensure that international best practices are fully adhered to.
From Security to accommodation and feeding, Logistics, etc no stone will be left untouched in the process of delivering a World Class tournament.
Speaking during the Interactive section Senator Ewa Heshaw –
Said the NDDC would into various ways they couldpartner with Cross River State on the hosting of the 19th National Sports Festival, and that would also look at the possibility of putting together a swimming and football tournament for the NDDC states.
Joseph Makoju on his own part Promised that Dangote Group would partner the state government on this project as it had done with other projects and they would also be interested in working with Mary Onyali on Her “adopt a Talent Project”
Honourable Godfrey Gaya , Chairman House Committee on Sports:
Gaya announced that The “National Sports Commission Bill” has gone thru it’s second reading and its main thrust is to see how the private sector and public sector can work together to move sports forwards.
He confirmed that the third and final reading would soon come up, and it is believed that when passed into law this will help create an enabling environment for private sector participation in sport development.
Going by the way the event was packaged and judging by the huge success of the Last edition of the Sports Festival, it is Safe to say Cross Rivers State looks to match or even possibly surpass the last edition.
In attendance were:
Gov Liyel Imoke – Executive Governor, Cross Rivers State.
Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye , DG National Sports Commission.
Honourable Godfrey Gaya , Chairman House Committee on Sports.
Engineer Joseph Makoju – Representing Aliko Dangote and Dangote Industries.
Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw – Chairman NDDC
Mary Onyali Omagbemi – Ex International, also in attendance were Media Practioners, Captains of industry. Amongst others.
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