News Desk
On Friday, President Isaiah Benjamin led the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) to the final of a football competition organised to mark the 60th anniversary on the throne of His Royal Highness Igwe Kenneth Orizu, the traditional ruler of Nnewi, a commercial city in Anambra State.
The Diamond Football Championship won by Nnewi-based Hopeland FC after defeating Rangels FC of Achina by 11-10 on penalties, was organised by Nigeria’s Pillar of Sports High Donatus Agu Ejidike.
Mr. Benjamin remarked that the Pillar of Sports has been magnanimous in supporting both the association, and sports in general.
SWAN President said the association has been committed to sports development and is happy to have a Pillar of Sports that understands the needs of sports development.
“I’m particularly elated for this initiative to take youth off the street. And for the highly respected Traditional Ruler of Nnewi to be physically present shows the great passion of the state in developing Sports.
“On our part, we will continuously play our role as Sports Journalists in the projection of grassroots and elite sports development,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Chief Ejidike congratulated Mr. Benjamin for emerging as SWAN President at the Rivers Triennial Delegates Conference.
He thanked the SWAN leadership for honouring his invitation, “Let me also declare that sports all over the world is a veritable platform meaningfully engaging our teeming youth and shaping their lives by bringing out the best from them through their budding talents.”
The delegation had earlier visited Igwe Orizu at his revered palace.
Meanwhile, SWAN in Ondo state has elected new substantive officers to run the affairs of the association for a three-year tenure after electing Segun Giwa of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who emerged as its new chairman.
Joseph Adesuyan of African Independent Television (AIT) and Femi Atolagbe of Hope newspaper also emerged as the Secretary and Financial Secretary of the association respectively.
The event, which took place at the SWAN secretariat, Ondo state sports complex, Akure, had the presence the zonal Vice President, Mr. Ayodeji Ogunsakin, supervising the process.
In his acceptance speech, the newly inaugurated Chairman of the association in the state, Segun Giwa, thanked the national president, Isaiah Benjamin and members of the association for their support before and during the process.
Agency Report
