Akpom advises Soludo to prioritise sports development

Former international athlete, Dr Mbanefo Akpom, has advised Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, to make sports development one of his priorities to refocus the attention of the state’s youths.

The former African champion also pledged his total support towards this initiative if called upon by the state government. Speaking from California, United States, Akpom, who is the founder of Mbanefo Akpom Sports Development Foundation (MASDEF), noted regrettably that “Anambra used to be a nest of sports champions, but not anymore.”

He recalled that Nigerian contingents to major international competitions were once dominated by athletes from Anambra State, regretting that it is no longer the case due to successive governments’ indifference to sports development.

Pointing at the state’s poor performance at the just-concluded National Sports Festival in Ogun State where Anambra State finished in the 26th position out of 36 states, Dr Akpom said that the deplorable state and non-maintenance of stadia and other sports facilities in the state have contributed to the state’s poor position in national sports.

“I toured Onitsha stadium last year during a visit to Nigeria and that visit destroyed my sight. I noticed the deplorable state of sports facilities in Anambra State.

“I heard that the Awka Stadium is better, but I dare say that without well-maintained sports facilities, Anambra State may continue to be in the doldrums in sports.

“I suggest that aside from roads and other infrastructure development, sports development is also very important and Anambra government should invest in them to score points in international sports diplomacy.

“Without proper sports grounds, sport champions will be hard to produce. I am ready to support this initiative in many ways than one, if called upon,” he noted.

Akpom, who hails from Onitsha, is a former African high jump, decathlon and Nigerian 110m hurdles champion. He was Nigeria’s sole representative in 110m hurdles at the World University Games held in then Yugoslavia in 1987, as well as the first black man to win the 110m hurdles at the world famous Hanjekovic International Track and Field Meet in Zagreb, former Yugoslavia.