By Solomon Nwoke
SPORTS in Anambra   State may have suffered  neglect in the past due to lack of commitment from the previous administrators who relegated sports to the background.

OBI

Gov. Peter Obi hopes this should be a thing of the past with the new stadium he built in Onitsha and his resolve to re-engineer sports in the state.

On assumption of office three years ago, Gov. Obi set sports development as one of his priorities. He awarded  contracts for the now completed stadium. It was commissioned last Wednesday. Another, also in  Onitsha South, is near completion.

With the commissioning of the stadium in Onitsha, sports activities in the state now have a big boost. Aside this, he has a policy to engage retired athletes in the administration of sports in the state. He hopes to tap from their professional expertise.

He has dedicated the Onitsha North Stadium to the memory of late Chuba Ikpeazu, the owner of the first football club — Ikpeazu Redoubtables  based in Onitsha.

“Sports is a very critical area of our development and the motivation there is that I grew up in that environment as then student of the famous Christ the King College (CKC) Onitsha known for producing stars that made this country proud in national competitions. Onitsha had, in the past, produced great footballers and I am committed to harnessing talents in the state.