From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare and first military goverbor of Old Rivers State and the Chairman Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council, the Amanayanbo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diete- Spiff have called on Nigerians in privileged positions to emulate the bold efforts of the Senator representing Bayelsa West in the National Assembly, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, on sports development.
This is even as the Senate Committee Chairman on Youths and Sport, Senator Obinna Ogba and the leadership of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation have also commended him for Nanaye Dickson Traditional Wrestling Competition.
The Minister and the others spokes as guests on Wednesday at the unveiling of the 2021 edition of the The Nanaye Dickson Traditional Wrestling Tournament.
The tournament is an annual sporting event organized in honour of the memory of Senator Dickson’s late father, a community leader, an unbeaten wrestling champion and promoter of the game in his time.
According to Dare there was ample evidence that Senator Dickson is a lover of sports and its development while as Governor of Bayelsa State and now as a Senator.
He called on senators and other lawmakers to emulate the bold contributions of Senator Dickson to the development of sports in the country.
The Minister who recalled how the Federal Government adopted the annual wrestling classic initiated by Dickson urged the federal lawmakers to identify and focus development on a particular sport that has prevalence of talents in their respective areas in order to produce a new generation of talented athletes in the country.
In his remarks, Senator Dickson said that his interest in sports and commitment to its development remain the same even after his administration which built a sports academy, sponsored a football tournament known as the Restoration Cup for eight years and the Nanaye Dickson Wrestling Classic which was adopted by the Federal Ministry of Sports.
He said that the event was organized to honour Bayelsa wrestlers who dominate the sport not only in Nigeria but also on the African continent, stressing that Bayelsa has the highest concentration of wrestling champion.
Dickson seized the opportunity of the event to present bank drafts of N2 million to Bayelsa born Olympic Silver medallist, Miss Blessing Oborodudu and N500,000 to her Coach, Mr. Victor Kode.
According to Senator Dickson, the Henry Seriake Foundation, which unveiled the Nanaye Dickson Wrestling Tournament, is also the sponsors of the ongoing community based grassroots football competition, the Ofuruma Pepe Cup which involves 100 teams and 1000 young boys.
“As you all know, as governor of Bayelsa, I did my best to promote sports in all its ramifications. We established a sports academy; we have several young people who are receiving both academic training as well as exposure to sports development that is taking place even now.