Arrival
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Ilorin, May 25, 2018 (NAN) President of the Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive (AIPS), Gianni Merlo, will arrive in Nigeria on Sunday for a three-day visit.
The Secretary-General of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Olawale Alabi, said in a statement on Friday that Merlo would arrive Nigeria through Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Alabi said the AIPS president was expected to attend a series of events being organised by SWAN and the Rivers State Government.
“The leader of the world’s sports journalists association will be received by SWAN President, Honour Sirawoo, at the Port Harcourt International Airport in company of the AIPS-Africa President, Mitchell Obi, some top government functionaries and SWAN officials.
‘“The visit of the 61-year-old Merlo will be the first by an AIPS President to Nigeria since the world body was founded in 1924,” he said.
The SWAN Secretary-General added that Merlo, while in Port Harcourt, would visit Rivers’ Gov. Nyesom Wike, who recently received the Africa’s Power of Sports award.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wike, who is the award’s first-ever recipient, was honoured with it at the 81st AIPS Congress in Brussels, Belgium.
“Merlo will later join Gov. Wike and other guests for the foundation-laying ceremony of the Rivers State Government/Real Madrid Football Academy on Monday.
“He will later address a world press conference on the AIPS Media Sports Award and speak on plans to strengthen sports journalism practice in Nigeria by 2 p.m. same day.
“Later that day, Merlo will join Gov Wike, as well as top officials of SWAN, CAF and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to watch the Super Eagles’ friendly match against DR Congo at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt,” Alabi said
Speaking on the visit also, SWAN President Sirawoo said: “SWAN is honoured to host the AIPS President and his entourage’’.
Sirawoo called on sports journalists in Nigeria to accord the AIPS President a very warm reception.
“Already, we have put together a lot of plans to ensure a smooth occasion.
“For instance, we have concluded plans to convey journalists attending the briefing to the stadium for the Super Eagles’ friendly.
“This is part of plans to ensure the visit and the match coverage are made convenient for our members,’’ he said.(NAN)
BAY/DE/OLAL
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(Edited by Dorcas Jonah and Olawale Alabi)