Bayelsa State Government takes grassroots sports development mission to schools

In a bid to educate and sensitize students on the benefits and importance of sports, the Bayelsa State Government through the ministry of Sports Development in conjunction with the Bayelsa State Sports Council has taken her first mission sail to the IJaw National Academy, Kaiama.

The Bayelsa State Sports ministry initiated a project called ‘The pilot Bayelsa Future Aces Project’ (BFAP), which was borne out of the A.S.S.U.R.E.D agenda of the Prosperity Government.

Speaking during the sensitization campaign, the honourable commissioner for Sports Development, Bayelsa State, Dr Daniel Igali said the initiative is a part of the revolution to breed out young talents, beginning with school sports.

Igali maintained the importance of school sports as the best place to catch and nurture young talents, stressing that the right attitude to the game is beyond winning at that age.

“We realised the importance the government of Bayelsa State has placed on sports development, when you look at the new manifesto of the ASSURED program, Senator Douye Diri placed sports as number two which puts responsibility on us to ensure we drive the message to the grassroots and there is no better place than to start at the IJaw National Academy, Kaiama.”

“As you know there is a very good marriage between sports and education, and in this dispensation young athletes need to understand how to win and lose at a very young age because we’ve seen how athletes get destroyed between the ages of 15, 18 and 20 before they start encountering winning and losing”.

“These are the messages we want to preach, sports teaches consistency, leadership skills, perseverance and that is why we’ve come up with the Bayelsa Future Aces Project’, we are going to go to the nooks and crannies in Bayelsa, we will go to every primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa above 100 population.” Igali expressed.

Earlier, the Director of Sports Bayelsa State Sports Council, Sir Braveman Wodi while thanking the state government for placing premium on sports, hinted that the Sports Council will monitor those young students who have indicated interest in sports.

“This project is aimed at discovering and developing our local sporting talents who will become ambassadors for now and the future.”

“We collated data to follow them up on the various sports they’ve indicated interest in, and as you know, that’s the job of the Sports Council to promote grassroots sports development. So, our coaches and Secretaries will come to give the students basic training subsequently.” Wodi added.

Highlight of the campaign was the demonstrations of different sports to entice the students into the sporting industry

The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Sports in the state, Mrs Grace Alagoa along the ministry’s DFA Mrs Funke Aya, Assistant Director Human Resource Micheal Alakere, executive director Sports Academy, Asoama, Ophibikoro Freeborn, chairman Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association, Ama-Ebi Stow and Olympic silver medalist Blessing Oborodudu with coaches and Secretaries were also part of the sensitisation entourage.