Former African athlete champion, Chief Dr. Mbanefo Akpom, has advised Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State to make sports development a priority as he marches on towards reelection.
He also pledged his total support towards this initiative if called upon.
Akpom, who is the founder of Mbanefo Akpom Sports Development Foundation (MASDEF), spoke in a telephone chat from his home in California, regretting that Anambra which used to be a nest of sports champions is nowhere to be found in the world of sports.
He recalled when Nigeria was represented by most athletes from the state regretting that it is no longer the case.
An example of this downward trend in track and field excellence in the state came at the recently held National Sports Festival in which the state took 26th position. “That’s so sad to hear,” he said.
Dr. Akpom pointed at the deplorable state and non-maintenance of stadia and other sports facilities in the state and country in general, as chief culprit in the gloomy picture being painted about sports in Nigeria.
According to him, “I toured Onitsha Stadium last year during a visit to Nigeria and destroyed my sight. I noticed the deplorable state of sports facilities in the state. The state of Onitsha Stadium is disappointing.
“I hear that Awka Stadium is better but I dare say that without well maintained sports facilities, Anambra State as well as Nigeria in general may continue to be in the doldrums in sports.
“I suggest that aside from roads and other infrastructure development, sports development is also very important and the state government should invest in them, so as to score points in international sports diplomacy.
“Without proper sports grounds, sport champions will be hard to produce. I am ready to support this initiative in more ways than one, if called upon,” he noted
Akpom who hails from Onitsha, is a former African high jump, decathlon and Nigeria 110m high hurdles champion.
He also led his alma mater to four years straight NAIA and GSAC championships.
He was the only 110m high hurdles athlete who represented Nigeria at the World University Games in then Yugoslavia in 1987.
He was the first black man to win the 110m high hurdles in the world famous Hanjekovic international track meet in Zagreb, former Yugoslavia.