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By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Bayelsa chapter has advocated for mass participation in sports as the Bayelsa 2024 SWAN Week officially commenced in Yenagoa.
Speaking during a 4km road walk to kick-start the week-long event, the Director General, New Media to the Bayelsa State Government, Dr Kola Oredipe, said that the walk aimed to promote physical health and fitness, burn calories, tone muscles, shape the body, and reduce stress.
Dr Oredipe, while emphasizing the importance of sporting activities, called for young people to choose sports as a career, which is now a pathway to alleviate poverty and generate wealth.
“It’s a good thing for sports writers and journalists to create time beyond what we do in our news rooms and studios to engage in sporting activities.
“Today there are two things to take from this walk, we walk for healthy living, and we also walk to promote sporting activities. We are encouraging young people to look for one particular sport of interest as sports these days are beyond recreation. It’s pure business and a means of livelihood for many people,” Oredipe said.
Also speaking, the chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Bayelsa chapter, comrade Timinepre Ohia maintained that the road-walk is a reminder that exercise holds great promise in maintaining human health through sports as a way of life and appreciated members for turning up in their numbers.
“I’m grateful to God for how far He has helped us and also happy to see the turnout of journalists coming out for the Road Walk. This walk is to celebrate the SWAN WEEK and to also encourage mass participation in sporting activities.
“The walk is also to create an awareness that the SWAN Week has started and we call on all stakeholders in Bayelsa to support us as we have very interesting activities linedup to celebrate this year’s SWAN Week,” Timi said.
The chairman Local Organizing Committee, Loveday Herbert flanked by others expressed that the SWAN Week will promote friendship among media organizations while he hinted that sports enthusiasts should expect a very funfair week as all is now set for the annual ritual.
In a goodwill message, the immediate chairman of Bayelsa United, Ebike Timitimi described SWAN as a vehicle that enables sporting stories to spread, commending SWAN members for working in unity for the betterment of the union.
“I’m seeing a new thing in SWAN, the unity and love among members of SWAN, and when you exhibit such in a union, it has no option but to grow.
“Today Bayelsa State is reckoned among States in terms of sports development and this is courtesy of SWAN because if not for the positive reports you have been giving I don’t think it would have been widely known of what is going on in Bayelsa Sports industry,” Ebike said.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa SWAN Week 2024 will see actions in football events commence on Monday, 9th December, at Hamilton Garden, Ekeki along NTA-NUJ road Yenagoa with the following fixtures: NDTV vs. Federated Chapel – 10amRoyal FM vs. Creek FM –11am People’s FM vs. Daar Communications –3pm Newspaper Corporation vs. NTA –4pm
