By Amaechi Agbo

Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has declared that the state is ready to host the 2020 National Sports Festival, NSF tagged Benin 2020, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report

The governor who disclosed this with newsmen in a chat recently, said that the government, in its efforts to revamp sports in the state had for long state renovation works in existing sports facilities across and the state adding that the hosting right granted the state for next year’s festival is an added motivation to see that the good work started in refurbishing sports in the state is concluded in relative time.

“We do not take the hosting very lightly. Being a state that has history in sports, we clearly understand the implications and full ramifications of the hosting rights. As Bendel State, we were integral part of the idea for the ignition of the national sports festival after the civil war. So we are very conversant with the goals and purpose of the sports festival which is to build unity and patriotism especially among the young people of Nigeria, to develop their sporting talents.

“We have commenced work as if we knew we are going to host the festival. Last year we started a total revamp and refurbishment of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium which is now being covered, the track replaced and the football pitch renewed. We are prepared as a state to host this festival. We also realised that this is not just a hosting responsibility. We are so grateful that when we have lost hope that we will witness the national sports festival in our life time after the failure about 6 years ago, we have in the person of our dynamic minister, someone with courage to restart the games.

“So we realised, that as the first state host after the reestablishment of the games, we need to set a new standard. And I can assure you that with the active support of the ministry which we have in no doubt been receiving, we will be able to set future standard upon which future festivals will now be measured. As you know, Edo is a sporting state and we take our sports and culture very seriously because we know the benefits that accrue particularly for tourism from events associated with sports.

“I recently visited London where I held a meeting with the British Museum on the opportunity of building a Royal Museum in Benin City to host works of arts that were taken out of the empire about 100 years ago. These are all part of our strategic initiatives to play that role which God has endowed us with in Nigeria. Once again, I want to say that we have already started working.

“We have no doubt that with the current and anticipated support which we would receive from the ministry, Benin 2020 will be a landmark event in the anal history of sports in Nigeria,” the governor concluded.