NAN-H-81
Games
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 23, 2016 (NAN) Ademola Are, the Director, Grassroots Sports Development, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, is confident that more young talents would be uncovered at the 2016 National Youth Games in ilorin.
Are said this on Friday in Ilorin while speaking with the newsmen.
He expressed delight at the prospects of staging the second edition of the age-grade event in Ilorin, the Kwara capital.
He stressed the sports ministry’s resolve to provide platforms to unearth hidden talents at the grassroots.
He added that “we are looking out for the best, strictly under 17 and we will abide by the rules and regulations.
“It is a mini Olympic games and we want to ensure they go by the rules so that Nigeria can get it right for once.
“It is a delight to have the children get the opportunity to showcase their God given talent.
“It is stressful and challenging but the country will boast of good athletes.”
He urged various sports federations to key into the ministry’s grassroots programmes by taking over the discovered athletes and ensure the country achieved more podium successes at upcoming international sports meets.
Earlier, the Secretary of the Main Organising Committee, Emmanuel Okere, had assured that they were set for the successful kickoff of the sporting event on Saturday with 23 of 33 participating states already on ground.
Okere disclosed that the opening ceremony would commence at 2 p.m. on Saturday after accreditation of participating states which would begin
by 8 a.m.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that states already in Ilorin are hosts Kwara, Kano, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Yobe, Imo, Rivers, FCT, Adamawa, Niger, Anambra, Gombe, Jigawa, Plateau and Ebonyi.
Others are Nasarawa, Benue, Taraba, Sokoto, Delta, Kaduna, Ogun, Borno and Ekiti states.
NAN recalls that Cross River emerged the overall winner of the maiden National Youth Games held in Abuja in 2013. (NAN)
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)