By Fred Edoreh
Anyone who wants to understand why Delta State won all of the 8th editions of the National Youth Games, five successive editions of the National Sports Festival and continues to produce over 60 percent of Nigeria’s national athletes, would only have needed to be at the Stephen Keshi International Stadium, Asaba, on November 7, 2024.
It was the finals of the Zenith Bank Delta Principals Cup, a football competition among secondary schools in the state, and the winners, Ugbomro Grammar School, Uvwie, went home with N2m and a new bus, which Deltans would say is a “tear-rubber” 18-seater bus.
On the same day, the winner of the Zenith Bank Delta Headmaster’s Cup, Ighogbadu Primary School, Warri, received its own 18-seater bus in addition to the cash prize.
The presentation of the buses was in keeping with the standing pledge of the Delta State Government to the winners of the annual Principals Cup and Headmaster’s Cup football competitions for secondary and primary schools.
All across the country, there are no competitions of such magnitude and offering in school sports. The Principals Cup used to be a huge national sporting tradition in Nigeria. It was abandoned along the line, but the Delta State Government revived it in 2017 and added the Headmaster’s Cup.
The strategic approach was to engage reputable sports marketing firms to attract private sector partnership to complement the efforts of government in the funding and sustainability of sporting competitions.
As soon as Hideasplus Limited got to work, Zenith Bank, in appreciation of the laudable objective, keyed in and committed to the sponsorship of both events.
The Principals Cup have run for eight years while the Headmaster’s Cup have run for 3 years, and they both speak to the most exemplary Public/Private Partnership in nation building.
While Zenith Bank provides the funding for the organization of the competitions, the State puts the icing on the cake with the grand prizes which has remained a strong motivation for participation.
When the former Governor, Sen Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, made the pledge of providing buses as prizes for the winning schools, the price of an 18-seater Toyota bus was about N20m. Today it is about N100m, but thankfully, incumbent Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has kept faith with the promise, notwithstanding the enormous cost implication.
The commitment of the government has not only been about providing the grand prizes, but also consistently mobilising top state officials to physically attend and grace the events.
In the 2024 edition, the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, performed the kick-off at the opening ceremony, while the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emomotini Guwor, represented the Governor and performed the kick off at the closing ceremony.
These gestures speak to the sense of high premium which the Oborevwori administration places on schools, youth and grassroots development in the State.
“The development of grassroots sports is a priority of my administration and the fruits of our commitment in investment in sports was evidenced in the feat recorded by our athletes in the just concluded 2024 National Youth Games hosted by Delta State,” Oborevwori declared at the closing of the 2024 edition of the Principals Cup.
“We will continue to support grassroots games as a means of engaging our teeming youth population, especially those who desire to take up sports as a career.
The State Government has committed huge resources in sports development and administration by ensuring that adequate facilities are put in place for athletes and other sportsmen, with medalists adequately rewarded and encouraged,” he assured.
Zenith Bank is happy and proud of its association with Delta school sports projects, not only for corporate mileage and returns on investment, but especially for the commitment and sense of partnership it enjoys with the State as well as the enthusiasm by the schools to participate.
The competitions grow bigger and better each year. This is buttressed by the fact that by the 2024 edition, the Principals Cup posted a record 514 entries, up from 127 entries when it was introduced in 2017.
Interestingly, for many of the participating schools, the motivation is not just about winning the mouth watering prizes but offering the pupils and students the inestimable values that sports bring into the development of young people.
As the Principal of Osadenis Mixed Secondary School, Asaba, Mrs Aguonye Patience Ngozi, puts it, “the Zenith Bank Delta Principals Cup is very key for the mental development of our students.”
Definitely, Delta State will remain a clear leader in youth and school sports. We expect the sector to post greater results under Governor Oborevwori.
(C) New Media Office.
