13th September, 2013
JETHRO IBILEKE/Asaba
Nigeria’s silver medalist at the recently concluded International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) Moscow Championships, Blessing Okagbare has been showered with cash gift of N2.5 million by government of her home state, the Delta state government.
Besides, Okagbare is to enjoy a yearly training grant of 120,000 dollars for three years, to support her preparation for the 2016 Olympics.
The state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan who announced the reward, also appointed the athlete Youth Ambassador for the state.
The cash gift is in addition to the N3m announced by President Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria’s capital of Abuja.
Okagbare who was also rewarded with a parcel of land in Asaba the state capital, will also have a stadium in the state named after her.
Uduaghan also announced a cash gift of N2 million each to Mr. Daniel Etsebiminor, the local coach that discovered the athlete and Mr. Gabriel Okon, her Athletic Federation of Nigeria Coach as well as $20,000 to Mr. John Smith, her international coach.
Governor Uduaghan however implored politicians not to distract the athlete as she prepares for the 2016 Olympics, noting that those who desire to appreciate Okagbare should do so quietly in order to insulate her for the set goal of gold medals in the 2016 Olympics.
“All support for Blessing should be done privately and quietly, we should insulate her from politics, she is a role model, she is not a political model. Okagbare is a pride to Nigeria and a pride to us in Delta State.
“Her feat has shown that youths in the state have enormous potentials for greatness which if harnessed positively will bring great successes and positive changes to the state and the nation,” her stated.
Dr. Uduaghan said his administration was determined to produce gold winning athletes for the country at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
He charged the State Sports Commission to identify four young potential athletes capable of winning medals that would be nurtured and groomed to represent the state and country in Brazil, promising to give them training grants for their preparations and exposure to international training facilities.
He also commended other young athletes from the state that have won laurels in different competitions especially the last African Junior Athletics Competitions in Malawi promising to honour them at a different date.
President of the AFN, Solomon Ogba, in his remark, thanked governor Uduaghan for encouraging the development of field and track events in the country, noting that Delta state is champion in sporting activities in the country.
While noting that Governor Uduaghan’s passion for sports could be traced to his being an athlete, Ogba stated that Okagbare placed Nigeria in the 19th position in world ranking.
Responding, Blessing Okagbare thanked Governor Uduaghan for playing important roles in her success story, adding, “my career has grown from good to better but, my best is yet to come.”
She appealed to the federal and state government to support athletes by developing sports through funding and proper management explaining that “proper and adequate funding especially training grants to athletes will make them prepare properly for competitions and improve their performance.”
She said that money spent on sports especially to support the training and preparation of athletes in track and field would determine the amount of laurels the country can win in competitions.
Okagbare won silver medal in long jump event as well as bronze in the 200 metres race during the competition hosted by Russia.