Gusau, Iwuanyanwu bag sports, tourism awards

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ibrahim Musa Gusau and the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, High Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, on Thursday in Abuja, were decorated with the Africa and Sports Tourism Award (ASTA) by a non governmental organisation (NGO), the Project Fly With Us Afrika for their contributions to sports in Africa.

President, Project Fly With Us Afrika and Convener of Africa and Sports Tourism Awards, Ambassador Peace Onuiri, said the awardees were conferred with the awards because they have contributed in no small measure to the development and growth of sports in Nigeria in particular and Africa as a whole and thus deserved to be recognised for their invaluable contributions which has impacted positively on the lives of sports men and women, past and present.

While Iwuanyanwu was conferred with Life Patron and Award of Recognition, Gusau was decorated as Patron.

The NFF boss, while commending Chief Iwuanyanwu for his contributions to Nigerian football, said Africa needs to take a cursory look on how sports and tourism can bring the best from the continent and showcase its rich potentials and rich culture to the world

“Chief has done a lot for Nigerian football and he’s still doing more. As the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, he has a great role to play in what we’re doing especially for football in Nigeria. It is great honour as somebody that God has given the privilege to manage the affairs of football in this great country, to be with you because everybody knows what you have done for football in Nigeria.

“We need to be serious about sports and tourism because it is something that will bring people together from different backgrounds. We really don’t know what we have here in Africa but it is time to let the whole world know what we have here. Sports and tourism will not only promote our rich culture but can generate funds for Africa,” Gusau said.

Chief Iwuanyanwu, who describes sports as a tool for national and economic development, said sports, especially football, is a unifying factor that binds Nigerians together as one.

“I’m very delighted to have very distinguished men and women of this great country, Nigeria with me. These are people who are united by their desire to use sports as a tool for national development, as a tool to support tourism, economic development, for supporting character and of course bringing entertainment to people. I want to thank you immensely for considering me worthy to be given this award. And not just that you gave me an award, you also thought me fit and proper to have the position of the life patron.

“I’m a lover of sports and we can see that the greatest thing that binds us together in Nigeria is football. I promise to give you all the necessary support to succeed,” Iwuanyanwu stated.

Ambassador Onuiri, in her remarks earlier said the award is all about how to use sports to drive tourism. She added that tourism alone, if well harnessed, can improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the whole Africa.

“This award is all about how sports is going to drive tourism. Tourism alone can improve the Gross Domestic Product GDP of the whole African continent.

“We are looking at how the interrelationship between sports and tourism can contribute to African development. If we are saying sports is driving tourism, we have to marry both.”

Those present at the event are former Nigerian international, Daniel Amokachi, the National President, National Council for Women Society (NCWS), Hajiya Lami Adamu La, Chief Dan Uzu and Dr Ejike Orji.