The Sports Sector in Anambra has obviously become better under the administration of Prof Chukwuma Soludo.
Thanks to the governor’s square peg in a square hole appointment of Patrick-Estate Onyedum, a veteran athlete, an administrator and a grassroots advocate who is repositioning sports and assuredly taking the state back to its pride of place.
Onyedum was appointed on Oct. 17, 2022, seven months into the administration of Soludo and this appointment was greeted with excitement and endorsement by most sports stakeholders in Anambra including the State chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
Within the period of one year, Anambra made a strong statement at the national podium of Nigeria’s sports great states through consistent appearances at federation championships, national festivals and games with state record breaking outcomes.
Onyedum’s first assignment was the at the 18th National Sports Festival which was held between November and December, 2023 in Asaba, Delta State where Anambra Team a total of 39 medals including six gold, nine silver and 24 bronze medals create a new state record at the festival.
This broke what was regarded as the best 20 year record of six Gold, nine Silver and 22 Bronze medals achieved in Edo state in Edo State in 2021 even though two gold medals that was won for Anambra in gymnastics did not count for her.
Onyedum’s Commission sponsored Anambra Team to Abeokuta for All Secondary School Athletics Championship in January were Goodluck Fiaku, a high jumper was discovered, Fiaku later made it to Team Nigeria to All African Youth Athletics Championship in Lusaka Zambia in June and emerged third best African junior jumper at the championship.
With his love for grassroots sports development and power of persuasion, Onyedum was able to convince the Anambra government under the leadership of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to reinvent the School Sports Festival which had not been held for over 12 years.
The School Sports Festival was one of the derivatives of his blueprint known as the Anambra State Sports Solution Initiative (ANSSI). The festival which features about 610 schools with 13 sporting events turned out to be a huge success and turning point for the fortunes of Anambra sports development.
It was not surprising to many that Anambra became the focal point and rave of the moment at the just concluded 7thNational Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
Team Anambra contingent, made up with about 85 percent of raw and youthful talents discovered during the sports festival, not only recorded a new high for Anambra at the games but the darling kids of the tracks.
Of the seven gold won at the NYG, three were from track and field. These included 4x100m, 100m and high jump with another silver in 200m all female.The winners were the kids who mounted the podium during the school sports festival which held between May and June this year.
The team also won gold in Taekwondo poomsae single and team events respectfully, Beach Volleyball and Karate.
Like somebody said, these are events where you do not negotiate anything, if you win, you win.
In April, Anambra Karate team participated at 2nd Strata Base National Karate Championship in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and returned second best with four gold and four silver.
Onyedum said he was determined to see that no Anambra child would be denied opportunity to showcase his or her sports skills on any stage approved by the relevant federation in the country, this the state has featured in the various national meets under his watch.
Just last week, Anambra youth teams returned from Umuahia and Benin City where they participated in the CLIMM’s Southeast Athletics Championship and MTN Secondary Schools Invitational respectively.
It is interesting to add that Vision High School, Nnewi, champions of the Anambra School Sports Festival were winners of the Benin City championship.
Onyedum’s led Commission has identified six exceptional athletes in their various events and placed them on a monthly stipend.
This, he said, would make them feel special among their peers, motivate them sustain fitness, help them meet personal needs and increase their loyalty.
Furthermore, three of NYG gold winning athletes have been placed on scholarship worth over N6 million by a School located in Abuja while Anambra government have pulled two from their current schools and enrolled them in city centre schools on scholarship.
Onyedum who said he owed all he became in life to sports said his dream was to see children of Anambra shake hands with presidents of countries through their exploits in sports using the various platforms he was providing.
Another milestone has been recorded in the Anambra sector with the approval and floating of the State owned football club, the Solution FC.
This resonates well with members of Anambra sports Community who lost Rangers International of Enugu due to creation of states in 1991 and have had depend on the like of Jasper United, Udoji United, Gabros FC, Ifeanyi Ubah FC all defunct for state identity.
While previous managers of the sports sector in Anambra had myriad reasons for why Anambra should not own a football club even though about 17 out of the 20 NPFL belonged to the state since 2016, Onyedum on his part was able to convince Gov. Soludo to give Anambra people their own identity in the community of football owning states.
Speaking with newsmen recently, Onyedum said his ideas for Anambra sports were conceptualized about 10 years ago and that he didn’t need any retreat before implementing them upon his appointment on october 17 last year.
He said he was not interesred in quick win syndrome which was he had been in the forefront of campaign against age chest and poaching y states in their desperation to win medals at competitions.
According to him, the job of sports administrators is to discover talents and nurture them to stardom. Winning medals is good but there are lot of opportunities for our talented sportsmen and women if only we can help them discover themselves and give them exposure.
Onyedum thanked Soludo for finding him worthy to serve as the chairman of Anambra sports Commission and believing in his capacity to deliver.
He said his modest feat would not have been possible without the love Soludo had for sports which he had demonstrated through approvals and release of funds to execute his programmes.
“Interestingly, not many people knew that Mr Governor loves sports, but I can confirm to you that he not only loves sports, he is a sportsmen and believes strongly in the ability of the Anambra youth to become world champions if given the opportunity,” he said.
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