Edo Sports Commission to Revive Ogbe Hard Court, Afuze Camp

Chairman of Edo State Sports Commission, Godwin Dudu-Orumen, has indicated the intention of the commission to revive iconic sports competition and facilities which the region was known for in the past.

In an interactive meeting with a group of leading Edo business men and professionals under the aegis of Edo Development Organisation, the commission plans to revive facilities like the Ogbe Hard Court and the Afuze Sports Centre which will return as a High-Performance Centre and an Olympic Training Camp.

Orumen, who remarked that he was not expecting things to turn around overnight also listed other plans of the commission under his leadership.

He listed the main tasks before him to include empowerment of youths and young adults through the platform of sports as well as development of grassroots sports for schools.

In so doing he hopes the plans will lead to the introduction of collegiate sports as the benchmark for representing Edo State in local and international competitions.

The commission also intends to complement the efforts of the state’s deputy governor to return Bendel Insurance FC to the Nigerian Premier League.

The meeting the chairman of the sports commission had with the Edo Development Organisation also explored areas of cooperation.

Ekhator Osaretin Moses, who spoke on behalf of E.D.O said the group was ready to offer all its professional advice and support to ensure that Dudu-Orumen and his team at the commission meet the expectations of Governor Godwin Obaseki who has shown strong commitment to transform sports in the state by having capable individuals drive the process.

“We have had fruitful discussion with the chairman of the Commission and his team. We have let them know that as a group of individuals committed to excellence and development of Edo State, we are willing to partner with the commission to bring about significant improvement of sports in Edo State.

“We have the professional resources in multiple ways to assist Edo State through pragmatic initiatives to halt this negative trend and are willing to engage and support the ESSC in this regard.

“We are encouraged by the appointment of Dudu-Orumen, who has the intellectual wherewithal in addition to a strong commitment and integrity, to pull off this onerous assignment,” Moses said.

Also speaking after the meeting, Dudu-Orumen thanked members of E.D.O for their interest in, and their willingness to team up with the ESSC to revolutionize sports in the state.

He said he was ready to do all that was necessary to justify the confidence placed in him by Governor Obaseki and by extension, the people of Edo State. The ESSC boss said he was under no illusion that the task before him would be easy but said he was willing to give it his best shot.

Dudu-Orumen called on all current Edo sportsmen and retired ones at home and in the Diaspora, big and small businesses, and all men and women of goodwill, to emulate the E.D.O. and assist the commission to return Edo State to the pinnacle of sports in Nigeria.