Emmanuel Ugwu
20 December 2008
Umuahia — For athletes from Abia State that have participated in competitions and won laurels, it was a season of smiles as the state government at the weekend showered on them N6.7 million cash rewards.
The sports medalists, including Chika Chukwumerije, who won bronze in Taekwando at the Beijing Olympics, were honoured at a grand reception for the men and women who have either represented Abia or Nigeria in individual and team events at sporting tournaments both local and international sporting tournaments.
Among those honoured were the Enyimba International Football Club which got N2.5 million and Valiants International Women Handball Club which received N2 million.
Abia Valiants is the first female handball team in Nigeria to win the Commonwealth Handball Cup in Africa and current Nigeria female handball champions as well as the sixth best handball team in the last 2008 African handball championships in Morocco.
The Youths Sports Federation Team of Abia state - the Under 15 National Champions were given N800, 000 for their efforts in winning major trophies, including the U.J Esuene Youth Tournament, since the inception of the T.A Orji administration.
One of the athletes, Obioma Aligekwe, set new world record in 245kg power lifting and is the current world heavy weight champion in power-lifting in the paralympic power-lifting and also a silver medalist in the last 2008 Beijing Paralympics in 100kg-plus category - got N200,000.
The others were the state Athletes led by Mr. Uchenna Emedolu, who were given N2 million. Governor Theodore Orji, who addressed the honourees through his deputy, Comrade Chris Akomas, said that successful athletes were being recognized as ambassadors of the state who used their God given talents to bring honour to their fatherland.He said that government would encourage the discovery and nurturing of sports talents by providing sporting facilities, adding that a Sports Academy would soon be built in Abia with the collaboration with Denmark.
The governor said that the state was particularly challenged to honour Chukwumerije, after he was honoured and showered with gifts by Nigerians across the country in Abuja noting that while God used his father (Senator Chukwumerije) to save Nigeria from third term, Chika was used to bring honour and blessing to Abia, Nigeria and Africa by his victory in the last Olympic games in China.
"We are happy we have an Olympic Medalist as an Abian.
I urge parents to encourage their children to engage in sports as soon as they discover early their talents," he said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion and the state Labour Party governorship candidate in last year election, Chief Chuku Wachuku, said that sports development should not be left to governments alone and advised that sports persons should be well remunerated and motivated to inspire others.
Speaking on behalf of the honoured athletes, Chukwumerije said "we thank God for the talents given us and for empowering us to use them" adding, "we are very ambitious to put Abia and Nigeria in world map.
To achieve this he urged government to provide modern infrastructure and facilities and to sponsor sports men for international training.
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