The Deputy Managing Director,Total Nigeria, Ahmedu Musa Kida yesterday urged participants in the 2018 Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Games to compete without anger or hate. He enjoined the athletes to demonstrate good sportsmanship and “lose cheerfully,” because tomorrow victory could swing in your favour.”

Declaring the games open at the Chevron Recreation Centre, Gbagada yesterday, Kida who is also President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation said “we owe a lot of gratitude to the founding fathers of NOGIG who envisaged a platform to explore other avenues to compete among ourselves outside our occupational endeavours.”

He pledged his commitment to NOGIG, saying, “as a sportsman, I want to pledge my support for NOGIG, any time they knock on my door.” He supplied all the trophies and medals being competed for at the games.

In a ceremonial table tennis match, Kida defeated Esimaje Brikinn, GM, Public Government and Public Affairs Department, Chevron Nigeria.

He challenged companies in the Oil and Gas sector to use a fraction of their profits to support sports in the country. “Sports is my first passion and it is a passion I will go down with.”

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Earlier, Chairman of the Organising Committee Aminu Zaria said the 2018 edition was special because of the improvement in almost all aspects of the biennial competition.

“When we came together, we set a task for ourselves. The task was to lift the NOGIG to the next level and that is what we are experiencing now.”

“The number of participating companies has improved from 9 to 13, the number of athletes too has improved and even the opening ceremony is different from what we are used to.”

Above all, Zaria said it is not going to be business as usual as a lot of shocking results await some of the traditional winners.