The Imo state Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social development, Honourable Emeka Okoronkwo has called on all and sundry to help support the ongoing renaissance of sports in the Eastern Heartland.
Okoronkwo who has barely spent seven months in office said sports in Imo state will continue to thrive if everyone in the state support the administration of Governor Hope Uzodinma in the area of sports.
Recall that about ten months ago, the situation of sports in Imo state was at it’s downward trend and as at July last year, the situation of the states sports was thrown in comatose and was at its lowest ebb.
The situation at the Dan Anyiam Stadium was a sorry sight, while athletes complained of lack of facilities to train with adequately and staff as well as athletes also complained of being short changed.
Animosity became the bedrock of people who were supposed to be a team, as cliques sprang up further plunging the state of sports downwards. All was not well in the state when it comes to sports.
The height of it all was when the darling club of the state, Heartland FC went on relegation from the Nigerian topflight as a result of broken bridges and neglects.
At this point the Governor of Imo state, His Excellency distinguished Senator Hope Uzodinma sent his chosen one Honourable Emeka Okoronkwo (Agu Ji Egbe) who came with a rich political background and in academic to redeem the situation.
He began from the Local Government Area where he served as the Executive Chairman of Okigwe LGA for two tenures.
He became Special Adviser to the Governor on Sensitization and Mobilization and from there he got a lift to the Local Government Service Commission as a Commissioner and thereafter he became Chairman, House of Assembly.
Then seven months ago he was appointed by His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma to become the Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Development.
Okoronkwo from his inception in office recorded massive success stories in the sports industry, he was able to turn things around and pilot the trend to the upward trajectory.
The usual negative reports has ceased, athletes and staff now smile to the bank, sports facilities at the stadium has received facelift, Imo contingent at the last National Sports Festival emerged the best in the South East. They also won a record 12 gold medals.
Various sporting events such as in volleyball, handball, boxing, basketball, even women football and so many other competitions has chosen Imo as the host state unlike it was previously.
Heartland Queens have maintained their topflight status while Heartland FC got a swift return to the top league too without a defeat and even emerging as the Champions of the Nigeria National League. Sportsmen and women and staff of both the Sports Ministry and Imo Sports Commission receive their Salaries as and when due while animosities among stakeholders have been settled and genuine reconciliations have taken place among other giant strides.
The vibrant Sports Commissioner revealed to journalists that he was able to record all the glowing successes because of the enabling environment and support he receives from the Imo State Governor,
So one began to wonder how all this happened in such a short while. When asked the secret behind this success story, Okoronkwo replied;
“The only secret to all these successes is simple, His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodinma and his passion for the youths which is second to none. He is also a sports loving governor and he has made my work light by providing almost all that I need to succeed.
“You can see that His Excellency already has a design and objective when it concerns the youth, he has made it a major component of his 3R administration.
“The youths have benefited a lot under this administration, so all I need to do is consolidate on that. We don’t have any other thing to add because a lot of things are playing out.
“Since we came in everything is working fine now, we began by restructuring all components of the ministry from the Sports Commission to Heartland FC and Heartland Queens.
“We have even gone far concerning the ministry that had problems. So if you watch and observe, there is quietness everywhere, from Heartland fc to heartland queens, from the sports commission to the ministry, there has been relative calmness and no bad news since we took over.
“Nobody has been removed or sacked. The same people who were working here before when it was disorganized are still the same people who achieved all this. All we did is to make everybody relevant.
The youths on their part are happy because of the manner His Excellency has been involved in their affairs, more especially sports.
But let me tell you about Human Resources, everybody has something to offer, when I came in I made them understand their relevance, as soon as that was done, potentials in them began to show.
In the ministry nobody absents his or her self from work, no excuses, each time you come here, there are activities.
Bringing it down to the sports commission, you will discover that we have done so much, the athletes find it easy to go out and compete now in comfort.
His Excellency Governor Hope Uzodimma has ensured that.
In the football department, everybody is aware that so much have been done already.
Heartland queens are fully stabilized in the Nigerian women premiership and our focus is for them to compete at the International level.
We have been able to properly manage and package the team to the enticement of International scouts. Three of our players are in the national team now.
As for Heartland fc, they were relegated to NNL when I assumed office but with the assistance and support of His Excellency Governor Hope Uzodimma, they are back to where they belong.
Today the focus now is to play in CAF by next season.
We are working hard and putting stronger structures that will help them compete. The players are comfortable, I was in their camp and all we have to do is to make that place a home for them.
Let me remind you that his excellency has continually paid salaries of the players, staffs and crew, they lack nothing.
It’s a long journey playing in NNL. It is tougher than playing in NPFL ask people who knows about football.
It was not easy but still we went 16 games unbeaten, at the end of the day we became champions, we have brought home the trophy to say thank you to his Excellency for his commitment and support to sports.
I have never seen a Governor like this, he is very interested in anything that concerns sports, we have brought the trophy and it can unify the state.
Today Heartland will play in NPFL and every Imo indigene is happy.
The performance of Governor Uzodimma can not be measured to anybody, he has done a ring road connecting 19 local government areas.
Every sector of the economy in this state, this administration has handled well. His excellency does not need to campaign, if only Imolites appreciate good things, his works speaks volumes.
What we have done is reconciling the youths to understand their purpose, I have been in 47 communities in this state.
Now the purpose has been defined and his excellency does not have a problem putting the youths together and making them understand that the future belongs to them.
If you having been monitoring activities closely, you would know that sometimes the youths gather to be trained to become leaders of tomorrow, series of empowerment programs and the Imo youths who are the major beneficiaries are gainfully engaged in productivity.
Here in the ministry, my staffs and I work together to achieve the common goal of this ministry. We have a good working relationship, You can verify from them. “ Okoronkwo told the Statesman Newspaper sports desk.
In his message to the people of Imo state, Okoronkwo said;
“Imo is a great state, people here are very intelligent, they know what is good and bad. I want them to continue appreciating the good things and acknowledge what his excellency has put on ground in this short time.
I want them to also cooperate with the government, if they do they will enjoy more.“ Okoronkwo concluded.
