Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa, on Monday, splashed over N70 million on sportsmen and women, including administrators, who brought glory to the state recently.
Prominent among the awardees were the Bayelsa-born Tokyo Olympic silver medallist, Blessing Oborududu, and the winners of the 2021 AITEO Cup, Bayelsa United and Bayelsa Queens.
Blessing Oborududu received N4million, while the top 25 registered players of both Bayelsa United and Queens were rewarded with one million naira each.
At the official reception in honour of the victorious Bayelsa sports men and women at Government House, Yenagoa, Diri also announced a million naira reward for Oborududu’s coach, Mr Victor Kodei, a former wrestling champion.
Similarly, the governor also announced cash rewards of N1.3million for the technical advisers of both teams and an additional N1.5 million each for the clubs’ board chairmen.
Gov. Diri equally redeemed the government’s pledge of new buses, directing the immediate release of two Coaster buses to the two football teams.
His words: “In recognition of this historic feat and giant stride, your government has decided to reward you (Blessing Oborududu) with the sum of four million naira.
“Our daughter has put Bayelsa State and Nigeria on the map of the world in female wrestling.
“For our FA Cup giants, for the first time in the history of the FA Cup, now AITEO Cup, no state in Nigeria has brought home the two cups, both male and female.
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“It used to be an all-male affair until the female version was introduced. Bayelsa is the first state and I stand to be proved wrong. Bayelsa has set the record.
“So, your Prosperity Administration has decided to reward our AITEO Cup male and female players. The top 25 registered players will receive the sum of one million naira each. Other players will get N500,000 each.
“The chairmen of both teams will receive N1.5 million each and the Technical Advisers of both clubs N1.3 million each.
“For each of the clubs, the board members will get one million naira, while the coach of our sister, who himself is a wrestling champion, Victor Kodei, and accompanied our silver medalist to Tokyo, will get the sum of one million naira.
“As usual, with sports, it is a team game and there are others who contributed to the victory and success. Their reward will also be communicated to them,” he said.
The governor also gave immediate approval for the upgrade of the Samson Siasia Sports Complex as well as the wrestling gym.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mr Daniel Igali, thanked governor Diri for the exemplary support to the teams, who he said, were now the toast of every sports-loving individual.
Igali, made several appeals to the governor, especially the upgrading of the state stadium, as Bayelsa United would be representing the country in the CAF Confederation Cup in September.