The Youth and Sports Development Minister, Sunday Dare’s adopt-an-athlete initiative has continued to attract more private and public sector partnerships, the latest being the Delta State government.

At the weekend, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa opted to sponsor six Olympic-bound Nigerian athletes, a move that is the single biggest boost to the campaign of the ministry to seek support for Nigeria’s athletes to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Okowa’s chosen athletes are Ese Brume, Blessing Okagbare, Divine Oduduru, Raymond Ekevwo, Itsekiri Usheorise and Ogho-Oghene Egwero.

In his tenure, Okowa, who was recently decorated with an award for his support for sports development, hosted the Africa Senior Athletics Championship in 2018 and the qualifying series of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, as well the Olympic team under Imama Amapakabo. The state also remains at the forefront of sporting excellence in the country, emerging overall champions in the last sport festival held in Abuja.