Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa state Governor-elect, Hon. David Lyon has donated the sum of N750, 000 to seven- year- old Miss Deborah Quickpen to represent Nigeria in the African Youth Chess Competition in Nambia.
Deborah, from Southern Ijaw Local Government of Bayelsa State, was presented with the cheque at the NUJ press centre by a former governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former commissioner for sports in Bayelsa State, Prince Ebitimi Amgbare who represented Lyon over the weekend. According to Lyon, his administration would use sports to restore hope in Bayelsa youths because sports have an inherent ability to bring people especially the youths together.
He added that said sports, by its very nature, encourage participation, which has the capacity to bridge political, ethnic, social and religious divides in society.
“It is for this reason that our incoming administration intends to use sports as a veritable tool for development, with the understanding that sports can serve as an impetus for social transformation and change as the state moves to the next of rapid socio-economic development.” Lyon further noted that sports could also serve as a tool for crime prevention, conflict resolution and promote inclusive good governance with a view to creating a peaceful environment for meaningful development.
Miss Deborah Quickpen, who thanked the Governor-elect for coming to her aid to enable her represent Nigeria at the forthcoming African Youth Chess Championship in Namibia, assured that she would not disappoint the country at the continental competition.