Gumel hails NOC patrons ahead of investiture tomorrow

President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Habu Gumel has described tomorrow’s investiture of new patrons as a sure way of bringing light into Nigerian sports.

Tomorrow at the Elegushi’s Palace in Ikate, off Lekki-Epe Expressway, the NOC will unveil new patrons, who include the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and one-time Governor of Lagos State, Senator Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, His Royal Majesty, Oba S. A. Elegushi, former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Chief (Mrs.) Kofoworola Adejoke Nwokedi and Sir Marc Wabara.

“These are heavyweights who have accepted to be patrons of the NOC. They, no doubt, are going to bring their wealth of experience to support Nigerian sports. We are concerned about the welfare of the Nigerian athletes who toil day and night to bring glory unto our fatherland. We want the best for them. And for you to achieve that, you must have support, moral and financial to equip them to go higher,” Gumel, who is also an executive member of International Olympic Committee (IOC), said.

After tomorrow’s investiture, there will be another ceremony for those in the northern part of the country on November 1 in Abuja.

The Patrons on the honours list from the north include M. A. Abubakar, Gbong Gwom Jos, Dr. Jacob Buba Gyang, Mrs. (Dr) Zainab Bagudu, Alhaji Bashari Mohammed Gumel, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima and a former NOC President, Major-General Adamu Dyeri (rtd).

The patrons are being honoured for their contributions to the development of sports in the country and the Olympic movement, in particular.