By David Owei, Bayelsa

It was a joyous moment as stakeholders in the sports sector across the country converged on Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital to inaugurate a world class ultra-modern table tennis facility, the “Coastal Fortress”.

The Coastal Fortress is a state-of-the-art facility built by Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade Stow, the chairman of the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association to give table tennis players adequate preparation for tournaments.

Inaugurating the beautiful edifice, Governor Douye Diri who was accompanied by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and other political appointees, noted that the initiator of the project, Mr. Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade Stow has written his name in gold, describing the event as a momentous occasion.

He noted that sports development remains one of the key pillars of his administration’s “Assured” Prosperity programme, maintaining that sports is one area that can positively take the youths away from crime and criminality.

According to the state helmsman, sports has given the youths in the state a means of livelihood apart from education, stating that sports as a skill has ensured many youths in the world are self-reliant.

He noted that team Nigeria’s brilliant outing in the just-concluded African Senior Wrestling Championship in Casablanca, Morocco was a reflection of the huge investment in the development of sports, saying that wrestling remains a sport in which Bayelsa enjoys comparative advantage.

Governor Diri, while appreciating the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association chairman for his investment in table tennis, asserted that Mr. Stow has reduced the pressure on government, urging other well meaning Bayelsans to invest in sports development.

Governor Diri equally announced the appointment of the South South representative of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, as Technical Adviser to the governor on sports, Table Tennis, describing him as a role model to the younger generation.

“As you know, sports development is one of the key pillars of our Assured development programme. Sports is one area we can use to remove our youths from crime and criminality”

“For me, it brings a very great pleasure to be here to see what this young man has done. I believe this facility will be so beneficial to the people of Bayelsa State and Nigeria”, Governor Diri stated.

Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon Bukola Olapade, represented by the Special Advisers to DG on sports Mr. Ebidowei Oweifie, said the event was a testament of the governor’s unwavering passion for sports development.

Earlier in his address of welcome, Commissioner for Sports Development Dr. Daniel Igali, opined that the development of sports would not be complete without good facilities, pointing out that Mr. Stow’s gesture has lifted the soul of the government.

In a remark, chairman of the Bayelsa State Table Association, Mr. Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade Stow, reflected on his journey in table tennis, which began in 2018 when he served as Vice Chairman under former Director of Sports, Chief Patimidi Tukuru.

He explained that the Fortress is more than a personal venture but a contribution to the sporting future of Bayelsa State, and that the facility is designed to close the gap between the kids of the poor and the rich, stressing that every athlete would be treated with equal opportunity, regardless of background.

The NTTF South South rep noted that the facility is equipped with a range of modern amenities designed to support both training and comfort which includes, two restaurants, chairman’s office, reception, sports lounges, separate changing rooms for athletes and four conveniences.

In separate goodwill messages, Senator Benson Agadaga, the Senator representing Bayelsa East who doubles as chairman of the occasion and Chairman House Committee on Sports, Hon Tare Porri, appreciated the vision bearer Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade Stow for complimenting the government’s efforts, adding that the facility would keep young people in the state busy.

The highpoint of the event was the unveiling of the foreign coach, Luciano Esposito from Italy as well as Bayelsa State Table Tennis Team to the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State.