The pride of Akwa Ibom’s sporting excellence echoed once again as the state’s world-class sports facilities received national recognition, but for Hon. Elder Paul Bassey, the moment was more than celebration, it was a call to more action.
Reacting to the nomination of Akwa Ibom’s sports facilities for an award by Sportsville, Elder Bassey, the State’s Commissioner for Sports did not hold back in telling a deeper story, one that reflects both progress and a lingering national challenge.
“First, let me thank Sportsville for this honour. We feel elated as a state that our stadium is the only one recognized and approved for CAF and FIFA tournaments.
“That a big footballing country like Nigeria can only boast of one approved stadium by CAF and FIFA where a couple of North African countries and South Africa have at least seven, calls for concern,” he said.
His words carried both pride and concern, pride in what Akwa Ibom has achieved, and concern over the wider state of sports infrastructure across the country.
Elder Bassey traced the success of the state’s flagship facility, the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, to a legacy of leadership and continuity.
“Credit must go to the quality of governors that Akwa Ibom has had from Governor Godswill Akpabio who built it, to Governor Udom Emmanuel who christened it and now Governor Umo Eno who is maintaining it.
“The key word is maintenance. Governor Akpabio, in awarding the contract to Julius Berger in 2012, went for the best. Governor Udom made sure Julius Berger sign a ten-year maintenance contract, while Governor Umo Eno has kept faith with the maintenance culture.”
Behind the beauty of the stadium, he explained, lies a deliberate and costly commitment to the upkeep of the iconic facility.
“Maintaining a stadium of that magnitude does not come cheap, therefore it takes sports loving governments like we have had to keep the stadium in that shape 12 years on,” Elder Bassey, one of the most respected voices in African sports explained.
For him, however, the bigger issue goes beyond Akwa Ibom. It is about a national mindset that must change.
“Here in Akwa Ibom State, we take maintenance of our facilities seriously and that is exactly what I am recommending to other states. Let facilities managers come here to see what we are doing and replicate same in their states. We must imbibe maintenance culture in this country if we must make progress,” he added.
While the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, also known as the “Nest of Champions,” remains the crown jewel, the state’s ambition stretches further. The sports administrator extraordinaire stated further that from standard stadiums in Uyo, Eket and Ikot Ikpene, to the ongoing Ibom Sports Academy project with modern facilities, Akwa Ibom continues to position itself as a leading destination for sports development in Nigeria.
The vision, he stressed, also includes the fully equipped Ibom Arise Resort and the newly opened Ibom Sports Gym, both reflecting a deliberate push to expand sports infrastructure and athletes’ development.
This progress aligns with the broader objective of Sportsville, which introduced the Best Facilities Award category two years ago to encourage both government and private sector investment in sports infrastructure.
For this year, the spotlight shines on the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo in the government category, alongside Eagle Wings Sports Facilities in Utangba, Edo State.
The award ceremony is scheduled to hold on March 28 under the chairmanship of Dr Larry Izamoje, Chairman of Brila Media Group.
As anticipation builds, Elder Bassey’s message remains clear, the future of Nigerian sports will not only depend on building new facilities, but on the discipline to maintain them.
