Edo Grassroots Sport Development: Enabulele Sets To Lunch Governor’s Cup

The Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Desmond Enabulele, has revealed that plans are underway to launch Governor’s Cup, a grassroots sports development competition.

He disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin, when members of the State House of Assembly Committee on Sports paid a legislative oversight visit to his office.

Enabulele noted that the competition will have positive impact on youth and school sports development in the State.

“This initiative, purely sponsored by Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Ltd., and organized with the Schools’ Sports Foundation, will involve schools across the State and help nurture young talent,” he said.

Besides, Enabulele also mentioned the positive transformation of the Commission’s restructuring efforts on the State’s top football teams.

“We restructured the management of Bendel Insurance and Edo Queens. We fortified both squads, and today Insurance has moved out of the relegation zone, while Edo Queens remain unbeaten in the Nigeria Women Football League.

“We are pushing to qualify both teams for continental competitions.

“Our plan is to drive the resurgence of sports in Edo State. We are bringing back the School Sports Festival, the Ogbe Hard Court Tennis Tournament, and other events to promote both sports and tourism,” he explained.

The Sports Commission boss however mentioned their challenges to include expired contract for stadium maintenance, which he noted needs to be reviewed and renewed to enable them operate optimally.

Responding, the Chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Donald Okogbe, expressed satisfaction with the Commission’s efforts.

He pledged the Committee’s maximum support to enable the Enabulele-led Commission succeed in its mandate.

“We have come to see how well the Commission is achieving its mandate. As a legislature, we hold a responsibility to ensure checks and balances, but also to bridge gaps where necessary.

“We will do our best to reach Mr. Governor with recommendations to boost funding and support for the Commission. We must also encourage private sector participation,” he said.

Okogbe called on all stakeholders in the sports industry including philanthropists, corporate organisations and others to join hands with the Sports Commission, noting that ports development is a shared responsibility.