Prof  Ihonvbere Speaks On Bill for the Establishment Of Federal University Of Sports In Afuze As Bill Is Set For 3rd Reading

Re – Bill for the Establishment of Federal University of Sports in Afuze to come up for Third hearing in JUNE, 2021.

A bill for the establishment of a Federal University of Sports in Afuze, Edo State presented before the Federal House of Representatives is scheduled to be read the Third time at Plenary.

The Member Representing Owan Federal Constituency, Prof. Julius O. Ihonvbere who presented the bill before the lower chamber of the National Assembly made this known in his press statement.

Prof. Ihonvbere in his statement, called on the good people of OWAN FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY and the entire public, not to panic as a result of a similar bill also been initiated by the Nigerian Senate.

“It has come to our attention that a bill to establish another university of sports, Nkalagu has been presented in the Nigerian Senate. Many of our people are naturally concerned. There is absolutely no cause for alarm.”

“We are delighted that our novel idea is encouraging others to think along similar lines. This means it is an idea whose time has come. There may be others in the pipeline. Nigeria is big enough to accommodate more than one university of sports.”

“Our bill will be coming up for Third reading in June. It is with the House Committee on Tertiary Education. I am in touch with the Chairman and I am sure the Committee will do its job adequately.”

“I want to assure our people that we are not abandoning the project. We have infrastructure on the ground and by the Grace of God, the Federal University of Sports, Afuze will become a reality to the benefit of all, he stated.”

The lawmaker earlier during the presentation of the bill at the HOUSE, stated that there are about 70 units of two-bedroom flats in Afuze “Low-Cost Houses” though some are in a deplorable state with perimeter fence built by Brig. Gen. S.O. Ogbemudia (retd.) in 1972 that was given to the National Sports Commission in 1986, but were not put to use. He recalled how then Military Governor of the Old Bendel (now Edo and Delta states), used the Afuze camp to create a crop of sportsmen and women that were amongst the very best in the world at the time.

However, due to lack of attention to the facility by successive government, the facility has been left to rot while the fortunes of the country in sports have waned, resulting in fruitless journeys to the Olympic Games and other global sports spectacles.

He further noted that the Sports College at Afuze is the oldest sports institution in the country saddled with the responsibility of training and developing Coaches, Sports Managers and Athletes for the State and the nation at large.

Recall that, the outstanding performances of Nigerian sportsmen and women at various Olympics competitions, the then Military President, General Ibrahim B. Babangida approved the siting of Nigerian Olympic Games Village at Afuze.

The Afuze community gave a large parcel of land to the National Sports Commission measuring 148 hectares i.e. 10 kilometres by 4 kilometres for the Olympic Games Village with Certificate of Occupancy (No. EDSR 7908 in 1986). Up to date, no structure has been erected on the land with most of what is left of the Low-Cost Housing estate now home to reptiles and miscreants.