A federal lawmaker, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo) has said with the establishment of a federal university of sports, Afuze, Edo, will facilitate development of Nigeria’s sportsmen and women.
The lawmaker, who represents Owan Federal Constituency, said that the establishment would also help the sportsmen and women to perform better at local and international competitions.
Ihonvbere spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Afuze on Wednesday.
NAN reports that a bill for establishment of the university has passed the third reading in the House of Representatives.
The Federal University of Sports, Afuze, Edo, State (Establishment) Bill, 2019, was sponsored by Ihonvbere.
He said that the establishment of the university would be historic as it would be the first in the country.
”Hundreds of sportmen and women who are retired will be ready to use this institution to train our young ones,” he said.
Ihonvbere added that it would reposition sports as a major revenue earner and employment provider in Nigeria.
According to him, Sports College, Afuze, is the oldest sports institution in the country saddled with training and developing coaches, sports managers and athletes for Edo and the entire Nigeria.
He said that Nigeria’s fortunes in sports were waning due to inadequate facilities.
He also noted that sports had become a huge business worldwide.
“In UK, they are making billions every year from sports; here, in Nigeria, we are losing money, nobody watches our national league anymore.
”I believe that on the side of business, on the side of physical health, on the side of intellectual development, on the part of building capable athletes to represent Nigeria and bringing laurels, the president will sign the bill,” Ihonvbere said.
Leave a Reply