Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe, on Monday, attended the finale of the Isa Mustapha Agwai 1 Polytechnic (IMAP), Rector’s Cup and Mini Sports Festival held in Lafia, the State Capital.
In the final of the football event, School of Administration and Business Studies, SABS, pipped School of Science and Technology, SST, 1-0 to end the sporting fiesta as overall best School with five Gold, and one Bronze medal.
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor, represented by the State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Amb. Lucky Isaac Yargwa, congratulated the victorious side and commended the Institution for staging the sporting event.
“On behalf of the Government and wonderful people of Nasarawa State, I wish to congratulate all the participants, especially the SABS, for the amazing display of your hidden sporting potentials.
“In a contest like this, there are no victors and no vanguished. You are all winners.
“Sports play vital roles in the physical, psychological and mental wellbeing of an individual, including the students, and this in turn, boost the overall performance of the participants.
“I feel highly impressed by what I have seen so far. I must commend the Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Justina Anjiode Kotso, and the entire Management of the Institution for this wonderful initiative.
“As a Government, we will continue to offer our support to the harnessing and development of the talents discovered from any sporting event, including the one held today, and nurture them into actualizing their sporting careers in line with the set-goals of the Governor Abdullahi Sule administration for the youth of the State and sports in general.
“I urge the Institution to sustain the momentum as it will go a long way in addressing potential restive vices among the students and surrounding areas and as well help the students rediscover their true calling.
“I call on other Institutions to emulate IMA Polytechnic in order to keep the Students busy and academically, morally and socially sound.”
Rector of the Polytechnic,Dr. Justina Anjiode Kotso, thanked the Deputy Governor and State Government for the support and providing a befitting vicinity for the success of the festival, promising to maintain and improve on the Rector’s Cup and Mini Sports Festival to meet the required standard.
She added that the programme was to keep the students physically, mentally and socially active within the Institution and prepare them for the forthcoming Nigeria Polytechnic Games Association, NIPOGA later in the year.
School of Science and Technology emerged as Runners-up while School of General Studies and Pre-ND took 3rd position.
Seven Schools participated in the nearly two-week-long event.
/Eche Amos
