By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Towards addressing youth restiveness and other social vices in Nigeria, the need for various states ministries of youth and sports in the country to formulate deliberate sports policy that would keep youth engaged at all times cannot be over-emphasised.
This observation was given by the Proprietor of Tower of Ivory Schools in Nigeria, retired Deputy Inspector General l of Police (DIG), Udom Ekpoudom, after conducting members of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Akwa Ibom state chapter, on facility tour of sporting equipment in his school, at Ediene Abak, in Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday.
DIG Ekpoudum said with such policy, youth’ would be guided on how to implore their time for gainful engagement, thereby reducing their involvement in activities that are detrimental to the development of the society.
The Retired DIG said that, his love for investigating in sports in his schools steamed from the fact that, it engages students minds and intellects, thereby diverting their attention from social vices.
The former Police boss stressed that, his passion for sports cannot be compromised, hence his determination and commitment at providing sports facilities, knowing that, the sector is so lucrative this time around.
He further added that, one of the driving forces making him to build sports infrastructure was to use sports as bait to sharpen the intellectual capacities of his students and pupils.
“I love my state and will always do anything that will promote the development of my state. I ventured into schools because I intend to support the growth of education in my state. Today, we are building sports infrastructure as a deliberate attempt to leverage the love for sports to sharpen the intellectual capacities of our students and pupils”, he said.
On the academic performance, DIG Ekpoudum said that Tower of Ivory Schools which as six campuses, four in Akwa Ibom and two in Rivers states rank among top in quality and excellent academics, whose products are making waves in their various careers within and outside Nigeria.
Speaking, the Akwa Ibom state chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Comrade Emmanuel Akpan, said that, the tour became necessary to allow SWAN members the opportunity to witness first-hand, the conscious efforts made by the schools toward the development of sports.
“We have heard the story of the renaissance of sports infrastructure in your schools and we are here to witness it first-hand. As sports writers, we are committed to the development and promotion of sports and it behoves us to report such development to the general public wherever it may take place”.
The infrastructure visited at the school which comprises nursery, academy, elementary and secondary schools with branches in Port Harcourt and other parts of the country are, a mini stadium of five hundred seats capacity complete with plastic seats and a standard natural-grassed football field with reinforced aluminium goalposts, modern basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, two badminton courts and a standard indoor sports hall.
Others are, a long jump pitch, a fully-furnished squash court and a standard swimming pool.
DIG Ekpoudum said with such policy, youth’ would be guided on how to implore their time for gainful engagement, thereby reducing their involvement in activities that are detrimental to the development of the society.
The Retired DIG said that, his love for investigating in sports in his schools steamed from the fact that, it engages students minds and intellects, thereby diverting their attention from social vices.
The former Police boss stressed that, his passion for sports cannot be compromised, hence his determination and commitment at providing sports facilities, knowing that, the sector is so lucrative this time around.
He further added that, one of the driving forces making him to build sports infrastructure was to use sports as bait to sharpen the intellectual capacities of his students and pupils.
“I love my state and will always do anything that will promote the development of my state. I ventured into schools because I intend to support the growth of education in my state. Today, we are building sports infrastructure as a deliberate attempt to leverage the love for sports to sharpen the intellectual capacities of our students and pupils”, he said.
On the academic performance, DIG Ekpoudum said that Tower of Ivory Schools which as six campuses, four in Akwa Ibom and two in Rivers states rank among top in quality and excellent academics, whose products are making waves in their various careers within and outside Nigeria.
Speaking, the Akwa Ibom state chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Comrade Emmanuel Akpan, said that, the tour became necessary to allow SWAN members the opportunity to witness first-hand, the conscious efforts made by the schools toward the development of sports.
“We have heard the story of the renaissance of sports infrastructure in your schools and we are here to witness it first-hand. As sports writers, we are committed to the development and promotion of sports and it behoves us to report such development to the general public wherever it may take place”.
The infrastructure visited at the school which comprises nursery, academy, elementary and secondary schools with branches in Port Harcourt and other parts of the country are, a mini stadium of five hundred seats capacity complete with plastic seats and a standard natural-grassed football field with reinforced aluminium goalposts, modern basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, two badminton courts and a standard indoor sports hall.
Others are, a long jump pitch, a fully-furnished squash court and a standard swimming pool.
