Benin – The Ogbe Hard Court International Tennis tournament is set to return, 13 years after it was last held, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Godwin Dudu-Orumen, Chairman, Edo Sports Commission, disclosed this in an interview with NAN in Benin, on Monday.
He said apart form reviving the foremost tennis tournament as part of plans to return the State to its years of sporting prowess, other events also slated for attention included; the Benin Mini Marathon, Ososo Race, Giwa Osagie Cup and Inter-House sports in public schools across the State.
The chairman said that all the identified sporting activities were geared towards showcasing sporting talents in the State, as well as grooming new ones.
He said that the process of sourcing for sponsorship and engagement of consultants had already begun to ensure that the events took place as planned.
“On Ogbe hard court, we have engaged a consultant to work with us and hopefully, we should be able to come out with planned activities in a no distant time.
“We want to be able yo use the tennis tournament that have not held for over 10 years now, to show the world what we now have at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium,” he stated.
Speaking on the Benin Mini Marathon and Ososo Race, Dudu-Orumen said they were new sport events planned to revive sporting activities in the State.
He noted that while the Benin Mini Marathon would take place in Benin metropolis, the Ososo Race was planned for the rural community in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, in the Edo North Senatorial district of the State.
As for the Giwa Osagie and Inter-House Sports, the Commission chairman said, “Giwa Osagie Cup is our own version of the principal cup and we are already speaking with some potential sponsors towards organising this event this year.
“Similarly, we are working with the State Ministry of Education towards reviving Inter-House sports in public Primary and Secondary schools across the State.”
“I am not expecting things to turn around overnight, but the essence is to include empowerment of youths and young adults, through the platform of sports, as well as development of grassroots sports for schools.”
