EDO 2020: Organizing Committee Plans Colourful Closing, *Host state wins double gold medals in men and women’s football events
…SWAN Says media working conditions Not Good Enough
Zainab Tanimu
Kaduna, North – West, Nigeria
The EDO2020 which started 4th April, in Benin City will in less than 24hours be rounding up.
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) is working round the clock to have a colourful outing as plan to stage a
memorable closing ceremony for the event is in top gear.
The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, who is also the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, told journalists covering the festival that the cultural heritage of the state would again be highlighted at the closing ceremony.
He noted that some logistics affected the opening and the closing would be much better.
Shaibu said: “We had a nice time at the opening ceremony despite some logistics including the downpour but for the closing we will bring in more entertainment to make everyone happy.
“Edo has a rich cultural heritage and we will again display that to the world on Wednesday.”
The Closing ceremony of the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival takes place on Wednesday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
Meanwhile, the host state Edo won the two available gold medals in the men and women’s football events yesterday at the University of Benin Sports Complex in Ugbowo.
In the earlier Women’s final between Edo and Lagos, the host won 1-0 to pick the gold while Lagos and FCT settled for the silver and bronze medals respectively.
Edo later returned to pick the men’s football event gold medal after coming from two goals down to claim a 3-2 nail-biting victory over the Centre of Excellence state.
Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu played the last four minutes of the game to become the first sitting Number Two citizen of any state to win a National Sports Festival gold medal.
However, it will be recalled that SWAN on Thursday had in a communiqué issued during its National Convention in Benin decried the media working conditions at the ongoing festival which it said hampers it members’ work.
The association had advised Nigeria’s sports authorities to always consider and treat the media as a key player in the development and promotion of sports.
The Association, an affiliate of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in a communiqué jointly signed by, Abdulwaheed Adubi, Lucky Isibor and Mike Oboh, the association’s Secretary-General noted the deplorable condition of the festival’s Media Centre and said it could have been better.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convention was held on the sidelines of the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged “Edo 2020”.
The convention, presided over by the SWAN National President, Ahmed Aigbona, urged the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development to always insist on the provision of required facilities.
“It is important to ensure the required facilities are provided for the games as it relates to the media, because sports is a media event and the media is needed for both its development and promotion,” the communique added.
The Convention however commended the Edo government for its determination and efforts in ensuring that the 20th NSF is taking place in spite of the challenges it had encountered.
It particularly praised the state government for the excellent sports facilities put in place, and urged for more support for it to sustain the momentum of sports development in the state.
SWAN also applauded the Federal Government for its quick intervention in the financial crisis which was almost marring the NSF.
NAN reports that the 2021 National Convention had National Executive Council members, Chairmen and Secretaries of various state chapters and several association elders in attendance.
The Convention is a requirement of the SWAN Statutes and it is held at the venue of every NSF, with all available sports writers expected to attend.
Sources: NAN, Thisday
