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First Abia South-East Tennis Championship Serves Off
First Abia South-East Tennis Championship Serves Off
The inaugural Abia South-East Tennis Championship has served off at the Aba Sports Club 1926, with a call on young athletes to combine their sporting careers with education or the acquisition of vocational skills.The call was made by the Patron of the Abia State Tennis Association, Hon. Uchechukwu Samson Ogah, in his goodwill message at the opening ceremony of the three-day championship.The former Minister of Power and Steel, who was represented by Ugochukwu Nwoha, a former tennis player who represented Aba Sports Club during his playing days, commended Governor Alex Otti for giving sports development priority in the state.Nwoha noted that sports remained a major passion among the youths and assured that Hon. Ogah would continue to support the development of tennis in Abia State.Declaring the championship open, the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Sir Nwaobilor Nwadimma Ananaba, urged the participating players to respect their opponents while striving for victory.The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Pastor Jane Maxwell Igwe, said the introduction of sports-related courses at the Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic was part of efforts to broaden opportunities for young people and provide athletes with alternative career paths after retiring from active sports.“Today is a special day. I urge the athletes to display sportsmanship, determination, focus, patience and perseverance,” he said.In his remarks, the Abia State Director of Sports, Comrade George Obioma, represented by the Secretary of the Abia State Sports Council, Comrade Jerry Basil Ude, expressed satisfaction with the growing profile of sports in the state.He noted that Abia had increasingly become a hub of sporting activities, with the state hosting one competition after another across various sporting disciplines.The championship, which will run for three days, is expected to provide an opportunity to discover promising tennis talents who will be nurtured and developed into future stars.
By Jacob Joseph
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