By Kehinde Osagiede
5-Day World Athletics Technical officiating course for Edo athletics officials began yesterday in Benin with 25 officials expected to be certified after the training programme.
The Technical training course, according to Edo state sports Commission chairman Yusuf Alli is aimed at enhancing the technical knowledge and abilities of Edo Athletics officials in preparation for Okpekpe Road Race scheduled to hold in May 28.
Declaring the programme opened at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin yesterday, the Deputy Governor of Edo state Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu restated Edo Government’s commitment to the overall development of sports in the state.
” When we say our state is the destination of sports in Nigeria, we mean everything about sports must be done appropriately. We cannot be the destination in sports without our people being trained to be officiating officials in all sports.
We have come to reorganise our sports sector. We are not only developing in the area of infrastructure but human development is central.
“This seminar is coming at the right time. The next training will be at the Odigie Oyegun training centre which is built to reorganise our manpower system. It is for the training of workers and getting human resources enhanced.”
“Nigeria sports was decaying when Edo went asleep but Edo is awake now,Nigeria sports will improve.
I urge you to be serious about the training which is being facilitated by very competent men and be prepared to train others in future.
We are building sports with discipline,thats is why we will continue to train our people in technical areas. Our target is not only in Edo but in Nigeria. And we are not ending it here but to also get our people trained to international certification level.” Shaibu emphasized.
Earlier in his address, the chairman, Edo state sports commission Yusuf Alli said that on assumption of office about two months ago, discovered that Edo has been spending huge amount of money to bring officiating officials from other parts of the country during since the past eight years Okpekpe race started without Edo officials involvement in it.
He said Edo athletics officials were not used because they were not trained.
“We have been spending alot of money bringing officials from outside, hence this training programme. We can be sure of having 200 certified officials within two years from now.
We have brought Prof. Ogunjimi Lucas Olusegun of the University of Calabar here to train our people.” Ali said.
He thanked the Deputy Governor and the state government for the opportunity to raise the standard of sports in the state.
In a remark,the Technical training facilitator
Prof. Ogunjimi Lucas Olusegun commended the state government on the choice of making former Olympic champion Yusuf Alli Edo sports Commission chairman,urging the state to maximize the opportunity to its advantage . He added that Ali has all it takes to catapult Edo sports to higher level.
