200 Kogi Athletes Prepare for Garden City Games 2010
AS preparations for 2010 National Sports Festival gather momentum, not less than 200 athletes drawn from 20 sports associations have been tentatively proposed to fly Kogi State Flag at the forthcoming National Sporting event tagged, “Garden City Game 2010” holding in Port Harcourt, by November.
The State Director of Sports, Mallam Yusuf Ogido, disclosed this in a chat with the Graphic Sports. According to him, plans have reached advance stage to sends the numbers of athletes that will participate for the state to the National Sports Commission as requested”.
This move, he disclosed is in accordance with the recent letter from the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) for the 17th National Sports festival requesting all states to submit their entries by numbers and entries by sports to the MOC secretariat on or before August 20th, 2010.
Mallam Ogido who explained that the state had started preparation for the Sporting event, Sports affirmed the state poise to win more than 10 gold medals at the event.
He expressed optimism that this feat would be attained as the sports council is determined to engage the athletes in a thorough screening to ensure that only athletes who have the potentials of winning medals are selected to represent the state.
The Director who further reiterated the council’s commitment towards making the state proud at this years national sporting events; stated that part of the strategies is to organize trial competition with the neighbouring states to properly strengthen the state athletes for the task ahead.
He pointed out that the state is hopeful of winning gold medals in the individual sports like, Judo, wrestling, Boxing, Ayo, weightlifting and traditional wrestling Ogido added that as for team events, like handball, volleyball and football, the state would have to go for team elimination.
The Director who reaffirmed the readiness of the council, however raised some fundamental constraints bothering on finance, vehicles and other contigencies starring the preparations.
He therefore, appealed to the Kogi State Government to provide a Bus and funds for the sports council in order to enhance their preparations for the festivals.

LG Boss Stressess Importance of Sports
THE importance of sports as a veritable tool for promoting unity, understanding and love among diverse groups in the society has again been stressed.
The chairman of Idah Local Government Council, Hon. Haruna Idoko Musa stated this during the kick-off of the Ward Football competition between Ega Football Team and Igacheba Football Team in Idah.
He remarked that such competition would promote mutual understanding, unity among Local Government.
The council boss who was also the chairman of the occasion, explained that one of the objectives of organizing the competition; was to identify talented footballers and fostering unity and peaceful co-existence among the players.
The chairman noted that sporting and games activities, had become one of the most credible means of fostering unity and understanding among youths.
Hon. Musa further noted that sports also serve as a vehicle for fostering and promoting peace not only among the football team, but it also enhances unity among the competiting teams while talents were discovered.
He advised both teams to see the competition as general fitness, good health, unity and peaceful co-existence among them.
Meanwhile, the game which ended 2 – 1 against Igechaba ward football team, was well attended by the councilors, supervisors, vice chairman of the He advised both teams to see the competition as general fitness, good health, unity and peaceful co-existence among them.

President Jonathan, FIFA and Ban Threat
To the chagrin of the soccer World and Nigerians in particular, the highly rated Super Eagles of Nigeria, ended the 2010 World Cup campaign in a fiasco. Consequently, the team was banned recently by President Goodluck Jonathan from participating in all international competitions for a period of two years, to enable proper reorganization and restructuring of Nigerian football and its administration. The dismal and unenterprising outing at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa in spite of the huge amount of scarce resources invested on them, is still haunting Nigerians like a nightmare.
Expectedly, there were many reactions for and against the president’s pronouncement. While those who welcome the move, hinged their argument on the team’s poor and frustrating performance at the World Cup tournament; those against it are doing so because of the negative consequences this may elicit if FIFA decides to discipline Nigeria for her unilateral action.
It is a known fact that we cannot develop our football in isolation without interaction with the outside world hence, the clarion call on the President to rescind his decision because of the grave consequences that might entail the ban. It is therefore, a matter of joy that the peoples’ President, who has a good listening ear, promptly hearkened to the voice of reason and accordingly lifted the ban on 2nd July, 2010.
His humane action was based on the several appeals of distinguished Nigerians and patriotic football lovers flooding the Villa in addition to assurances by the interim President of the Nigerian Football Association (NFF) to turn a new leaf.
The nation appreciates the President for his humility and respect for genuine public opinion and his action has no doubt saved Nigeria from another “disaster” reminiscent that of late Abacha era when the country was a Pariah state even in sports.
The lifted ban was a wake-up call on Nigeria to put her acts together by inserting round pegs in round holes and save Nigeria, Nigerians and their well-wishers in diaspora from constant disappointment and embarrassment. The climax of this humiliation was at the World Cup in South Africa after maximum motivation, the Eagles failed to fly even in the presence of the President of the Federal Republic on Nigeria, Ministers, many State Governors and distinguished Nigerian football lovers and supporters.
Enough is enough and care must be taken to separate the chaff from the grains while retired professional soccer players must realize that being an ex-pro does not qualify them as automatic football administrators except those that equally have pre-requisite qualification and experience.
The President’s magnanimity should not be abused. It is time to revolutionize Nigerian football. Those who have the opportunity to be part of this vital rejuvenation exercise should make history by changing the dwindling face of Nigerian football. We have had enough humiliation and outright disgraceful outings at both international and continental levels in the recent years.
We must move to the next level to improve the standard of our football at both junior, intermediate and senior categories to appease Mr. President for his magnanimity and concerned Nigerians.
It is rather unfortunate that Nigerian football has suffered unmitigated and disgraceful set-back in the last decade and the time to overhaul it is now. The problem with us is that we have the world class players who have demonstrated these global standards at club levels in Europe, Asia, America but have no patriotic zeal to do same back home.
Our football Administrators are equally not helping matters with their self-serving interests.
The president was actually right to have shown his anger through the ban but it was noble when he also rescinded.