From Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki

The leadership of over 135 communities from different parts of the country living in Abakaliki, as well as the landlords’ association in the state capital territory converged on the Abakaliki Township Stadium recently for a friendly football match to mark the birthday of Governor Dave Umahi.

The football competition, Oriental News gathered was organized by the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Charles Emeka Akpo-Enika and his group for the governor.

Giving an insight into the soccer fiesta, Mr Akpo-Enika, said that it was intended to honour his principal on his 54th birthday, as well as unite the leadership of various communities in the state.

“Actually, this is the first of its kind in Ebonyi State that the Association of Landlords and the Association of Urban Town Unions are playing a novelty match to unite and familiarise with themselves.  Also, the match was intended to mark the 54th birthday ceremony of our hardworking governor, Chief David Umahi,” he said.

He said that the governor’s transformational leadership has earned the state some accolades in many quarters.

In the youths and sports ministry, he said, that Umahi has proved himself as a youth-friendly governor.

“Already, everybody knows that we have a youth friendly governor who has transformed the state and empowered so many youths. You saw today that many young people are in the appointive and elective positions.

“In sports, the governor has been friendly to young people. We inherited a sports stadium of international standard that was abandoned for so many years. I remember that before he came on board, this stadium was just like a graveyard. But today, you can see the difference. Who makes more use of this stadium if not the young people?

“We are working on continuing this in a bigger way. We want to reintroduce school sports. Already, we intend to engage the 171 wards in the state. We also intend to engage the market men and women. Remember that before the inception of this administration, school sports had died. So, we are making efforts to revive it,” he said.

The commissioner disclosed that he had secured approval to reintroduce school sports, which he lamented was “strangled” by the previous administration in the state.

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“Few days ago, I got approval to meet with the Commissioner for Education to come up with proposals for the reintroduction of school sports so we have so many activities that would start in no distant time.

“Also, we are in a haste to bring back the state’s teams the past administration sold namely: Ebonyi Angels and Ebonyi Queens. We are going to reintroduce these grassroots-based sports competitions with the expectation of harnessing the hidden talents in Ebonyi,” he said.

Also speaking, the President of Landlords Association of Ebonyi State, Chief Josephat Chidebelu Okpala, praised Governor Umahi for his transformational leadership in the state.

“This football match was played in honour of our able and magic governor, Chief David Umahi, to celebrate his birthday,” he pointed out.

He said that although the governor has not done anything for them as a group, they were satisfied that the greater population have benefitted from his people-oriented administration.

“Although he has not done anything particularly for us, the governor has done marvellously well. Ebonyi is now a shining state courtesy of Governor Umahi. The state is now a shining state; exemplary one which other states are now emulating.

“Look at the roads, flyovers, empowerment and employment of the Ebonyi citizens. What more can one expect? The man has performed a lot. We have not seen a governor that has performed like this in this state,” he said.

Contributing, the President-General of Town Union Association, Abakaliki, Mr Ifeanyi Nwabueze, disclosed that although the friendly match was intended to honour the governor, it also further bond them together in friendship.

“This is the first time the landlords and various town union leaders are coming together in this guise since the creation of this state. You know, being together like brothers has further bond us in friendship.

“Looking at the infrastructural development of Abakaliki, especially on its roads, I think the governor has performed creditably well. And apart from the road infrastructure, the aesthetics of the state capital has been improved greatly,” he said.