Keeping his mind on the great things he wants to do without veering off direction, the Nigeria Minister of Sports Development Sen John Owan-Enoh, has said that he will open the door for the addition of deaf sports to the list of events at the National Youth Games, and give priority to the welfare of the Deaf Eagles.
Owan-Enoh who made the promise when he received the Deaf Football National Team, the “Deaf Eagles”, in Abuja, on their return from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, expressed great pleasure while welcoming the players.
“It is a thing of absolute joy and pride to see these valiant sportsmen hoist the Nigerian flag for the first time at the Deaf Football Championship,” he said.
As he talked about their attitude of courage, frankness and good cheer, the Minister added. “There is no greater demonstration of the social inclusiveness of sports than having a deaf team travel to represent Nigeria.”
He said in sports, you find that there is no discrimination whatsoever, and greatness is in all of them.
“The National Team made a debut at the 4th edition of the World Deaf Football Championship,” he continued. ” They made every drop of sweat count by finishing 11th at the world championships. This team has placed Nigeria on the world map.”
After praising the team for its impressive performance, Owan-Enoh said, to foster the development of deaf sports, he will work with relevant administrators to ensure that deaf sports get an assured place in the National Sports Festival.
“As a country, on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we celebrate this uncommon love and sacrifice for our nation,” he concluded. “Once again I congratulate our stars.”