From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Benue State government has taken steps to revive the state’s football club, Lobi Stars.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, on Wednesday, constituted a five-man committee headed by the Speaker of the State House Assembly, Hon Hyacinth Dajoh, to examine the challenges facing the club.
The committee, which has a former BCC Lions player, Aondofa Akosu, the State Director of Sports, Philip Nongo, former national team coach, Chief Godwin Uwua and the Permanent Secretary of the ministry of sports, is expected to submit its report on Sunday August 27, 2023.
This is coming as stakeholders in Benue football sector decried the declining fortunes of the state owned club demanding immediate action for change.
The stakeholders also called for the constitution of a board to oversee the effective and efficient operations and management of the club.
Governor Alia who said he had received briefs about the club with its Vice Chairman, Dominic Iorfa, appearing before the asset recovery committee, noted that the situation in the club needed to be fixed urgently too.
“What is on my desk is what drove me to call this assembly. Lobi is broken and I am here to fix it. You are part of the pride of the state and I want that pride to stay. You are the legacy and jewel of the state and must be held high and I’m willing to lend my hand and hold you very high.
“What is spoken about the team on the street is not good to hear. Lobi has recorded a lot of wins but along the line, if the internal house has crumbled and is unstable, you don’t expect good outings. I heard someone say we even sold our best goal scorer,” he said.
Speaking for the stakeholders, Godwin Uwua, former Super Eagles midfielder Moses Kpakor and club captain, Daniel Atsaka, all lamented the dwindling fortune of Lobi Stars and the need to save it.