BENIN CITY – The Chairman of Edo Sports Commission, Godwin Dudu-Orumen, on Monday said the Edo Sports Festival would further strengthen the harmonious relationship among the people of the state’s 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Dudu-Orumen told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin that the festival would also be part of activities to test-run the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium which is currently under reconstruction.
“We are still working out a plan but it’s important for us to get it right, and that means getting it right with the readiness of the facilities and then of course Team Edo will test-run the readiness of the stadium.
“The Edo festival will help us check the readiness and the development of our athletes, and then of course we are hosting a festival which we hope to win.
“It will therefore make a lot of sense to have a battle-ready team and the only way to do it is to organise the Edo sports festival, and the Edo sports festival is on local government basis.
“So, having the festival ahead of the 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) will help foster good relationship among various communities, and the unity of the state will further be strengthened through sports,’’ he said.
Dudu-Orumen added that the state government believes that the people of Edo and those living with them in Edo could be united through sports.
“We not only believe that the festival offers the best opportunity for unity, we also have assurances that economic activities during this period would greatly be enhanced,’’ he said.
