Rivers unveils festival mascot

The rich culture of Rivers State was on display last week, as the government unveiled the mascot and logo of the 17th edition of the National Sports Festival, titled Garden City Games 2010, which the state will host in November.

Dignitaries from all walks of life gathered to witness the unveiling of the festival logo which key elements are the map of the state, colour blue depicting the peaceful and hospitable nature of the people.

According to the organisers, the choice of Dolphins as the festival mascot, is because the animal bare close resemblance to the state. “Dolphins are warm blooded mammal. Amphibious in nature and have the ability to manoeuvre among obstacles, with great ease and style. It bears the characteristic of the state, which is naturally endowed with many rivers, vast arable farmlands, natural resources such as ‘The black gold’ and rich cultural heritage.

Golden jubilee sport

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and state deputy governor Tele Ikuru announced that the state executive council have agreed that the games be hosted in entirely new and single facility to accommodate all the 15,000 athletes and host all the games of the festival.

He referred to the festival as “Golden Jubilee Sports Festival” because it is coming in the year when Nigeria will be marking her 50 years of Independence and reassured that the state will “host it in a golden way”.

“The National Sports Festival started 37 years ago and the state hosted it in 1988. Then we did what people thought was impossible,” he said, adding that once again the state would host a grand and successful sport festival come November.

The LOC chairman added “the road to the hosting was by no means easy. Several states bided but at the end it was unanimously agreed that Rivers State was most prepared. Based on that, the right was awarded to the state.

As we speak today, we’ve overcome our security problem 99.99 percent. We are telling the rest of Nigeria that Rivers State is indeed prepared to host the National Sports Festival.”

Sani Ndanusa, Chairman of the National Sports Commission and Minister of Sports, represented by the Main Organising Committee chairman and Director General National Sports Council Patrick Ekeji expressed optimism that the festival in Rivers State would be a huge success.

“The festival is our own Olympics, therefore the desire to take events to the standard comparable to such events in other parts of the world,” adding that corporate sponsors of the event would get tax rebate.

He advised the Rivers State government to forward the names of corporate sponsors of the festival with the state’s seal to him so that they would be rewarded for their encouragement to sport development in the country.

In his remarks at the occasion, Tonye Graham Douglas, former Minister and the Rivers state commissioner of sports in 1988 when the state hosted her first National Sports Festival, warned that “thinking of a brand new facility for the event is a tall dream”.

He suggested an upgrade of existing facilities in order to beat the time needed for preparations for the event. “My advice is use the facilities you have on ground, use the people you have and don’t waste time and money building new ones,” Graham-Douglas said.

Security concern

Meanwhile, the state government says it is taking the issue of security seriously as it prepares to host the Games.

Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi revealed that Israeli trained police officers who are already working in the state will take charge during the games, as more of them, will be sent for training in Israel.

“Kidnapping has been eliminated 99.9 per cent in this state but despite that we’re not taking chances, that is why we have our very efficient police officer specially trained in Israel to be ready to take charge of proceedings during the games. The fact that we are building a Games Village where all athletes will be camped and a single venue where events will be held will also reduce the security challenge during the festival.

Amaechi praised his deputy, Ikuru, for the excellent manner he has been handling preparations for the event scheduled for November.

On the state’s preparation for the festival, Ikuru, said athletes have been screened and will soon be recalled to camp for another round of screening so that the state will not only improve on its 7th position when it last hosted the games but possibly dust the likes of Delta, Edo and Lagos states who are perennial champions.