The former speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly Prince Matthew Kolawole has called on government and spirited individual to invest in sports in order to support talents in lawn tennis and other games.
Kolawole made the call during the first edition of late Pastor Esther Kolawole sport championship organized by Lokoja club 1901 sponsored by Rt. Hon. Kolawole in honour of his late wife.
He called for the sponsored of two ladies, Bukky and Blessing to an international tournament to enable them achieve their dreams in lawn tennis game.
According to him, Bukky and Blessing are indigenes of Kogi state that have distinguished themselves in the game of lawn tennis, noting that they can compete favourably in any international tennis tournament and win laurels for Kogi state and Nigeria if given the required support.
“We have so many players across the country. Kogi state has one of the fantastic players in lawn tennis in Nigeria and most of the players lived and play the game in other states.
” Currently, we have three major junior players that are doing very well in female category of lawn tennis. The two ladies Bukky, Blessing are doing very well in the game but their challenge is lack of sponsorship and it does not cost anything to sponsor them to a tournament.
“I am confident that they will perform well in any national or international tournament. I have tried for them in my little way and I am calling on well spirited individuals that has love for sport to invest in these ladies in the area sponsoring them to tournament instead of allowing the talents to die in them” he appealed.
While thanking all the personalities that grace the sport tournament, the former speaker promised to continue immortalization of his late wife in any capacity he can afford.
In his goodwill message, the Speaker Kogi State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf described the tournament named after the wife of the former speaker as the best way to continue remembering her even in death.
The Speaker however promised to sponsor the 2024 edition of the tournament in Badminton and Table tennis, urging the people of the state who are lovers of the two games to come out and participate in the competition.
He described sport as a veritable tool through which people can keep their bodies healthy and urged civil servants in the state to develop the habit of participating in sport activities in order to keep fit at all time.
Also in his remarks, the president of Lokoja Club 1901 Hussaini Alhassan commended Prince Matthew Kolawole for sponsoring the tournament.
The highlight of the competition was the presentation of medals, cash and trophies to the winners in Badminton, Table tennis and Lawn Tennis.