Everest Ezihe || Considering the level of dwindling of sports development and deplorable sporting facilities in Imo State right now, High chief Rodney Ajaelu, the State Commissioner for Sports, Youth and Public Safety has cried out to wealthy individuals and corporate bodies immediately rescue the state sporting activities by investing in its sponsorship noting that state government does not have the financial muscle to revamp them.
Ajaelu made this clarion call on Saturday in Owerri when the state members of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) led by Mr. Ihianyi Emesowum paid him a courtesy call cum interactive session with him in his office at the state secretariat, new Owerri.
According to him “Sports in Imo state is not dying but already dead, the stadia are eyesore to sports development, all sporting facilities have decayed and moribund the state government cannot salvage it alone, these calls for collective responding, wealthy but philanthropic individuals, as well as corporate bodies, should assist in this state salvage mission. It is a passionate but patriotic appeal” he lamented.
He gave a marching order to the state sports council to relocate chess players and other illegal occupants of SWAN Secretariat and enjoined the sports journalists to take absolute control of the secretariat allotted to them during the military era.
The commissioner however informed that Heartland FC relegation from Nigeria Premiership Last year was due to lack of focus by the management of the club then but applauded the club for their efforts so far in the league as well as Heartland Queens and Heartland Flickers (Hockey team).
Earlier, Mr. Iheanyi Emesowum said the essence of the visit is to sustain the age long mutual relationship between the sports journalists in the state and the club.
Emesowum expressed gratitude to Governor Rochas Okorocha for his administration sponsorship of Heartland Queens FC despite the state financial challenges.
The SWAN boss decried the attitude of not carrying his members along in the activities of the female football club and other sporting activities in the state and called for a change of heart.
He also lamented over the level of decay in Dan Anyiam Stadium as well as other stadia in the state just as the deplorable condition of other sporting facilities in the state and canvassed for a state of emergency to be declared on the state sporting activities.
