It is now becoming clearer that the faith of Imo youths, especially in the area of school sports has plunged into a great danger. Imo Trumpeta recently gathered that the state has for the past three editions failed to participate in the National School Sports games as a result of negligence from the education and sports ministry.
The State failed to be at the Ogun 2009 games, Kano 2010 and the Calabar 2011 games which has continued over the years to serve as breeding ground for athletes that subsequently develop to represent the state at the National Sports Festival and other national games.
Reports reaching our sports desk does indicate that unless a miracle happens, the State may once again miss out on the forthcoming 20th edition of the Nation’s School Sports Games slated forPort Harcourt by January 24.
It is indeed very disheartening to note here that even with all the efforts of our Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to better the lives of our youths through education of which school sports is one of them, Imolites are yet to fully benefit from the system. One of the students who spoke to Imo Trumpeta in form of anonymity cried out to his excellency, Owelle, to please hearken to their plea and make funds available to them so that they can travel toPort Harcourtand compete with their fellow youths from other states of the Federation. Information reaching us from School Sports inAbujainforms that the state will have to pay a fine of 150,000 naira for each of the editions it was absent, totaling 450,000 naira.
An unconfirmed report also reveals that proposals had earlier been written to the Governor and the Commissioner for Education whose office oversees the school sports but up till now one can easily assume that the Governor has not seen the proposals. In a similar situation, the representatives of Imo State in this year’s Nigeria Secondary School Shell/NNPC Football Competition may also fail to participate in this year’s championship due to lack of funds.
The state who won the cup back-to-back in 2009 and 2010 are drawn in Enuguzone against Anambra, Akwa Ibom and Benue. Their zonal games will commence on the 12th of February for the 15th edition of the annual competition. It would be recalled that the School which representedImoState in last Shell/NNPC Football Competition suffered the same fate which contributed in no little way to their failure in trying to retain the trophy.
