Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, says the state’s priority was not necessarily to host and win the ongoing National Sports Festival in Benin City, but to project the ideals of the event.
Obaseki stated this while speaking with journalists at the Benin Golf Club.
“For Edo State, the National Sports Festival is to host the country. As a good sportsperson, we may not necessarily win but to ensure we live to the purpose of the festival, which is to unite the country, bring our young men and women together in the spirit of oneness and unity so that they can have a common purpose,” Obaseki said.
“The country needs healing at this time, we need unity and a sense of purpose and that is why we are hosting the Games at this point. It is not necessary that we host and win because we know we are good sportsmen and we have what it takes to win, but as sportsmen, we let excellence prevail.”
On the facilities used at the festival, Obaseki stated that efforts were in place to ensure they were maintained.
“We are undergoing certain fundamental changes in Edo today and key to it is how we maintain and sustain the facilities, the structures and the institution, which we are putting in place and which we are transforming. It has to do with people, capacity building, and training and making sure we have the right processes and procedure. We also need to get out of this whole thinking of godfatherism.
“From the new hiring and recruitment we are undertaking in the Edo State public and civil service, we are going to put in place not only the right people but the right system for the institution to sustain the buildings.
