President Muhammad Buhari has praised the performance of Team Nigeria at the All Africa Games which just concluded in Congo Brazzaville, urging the Nigerian athletes, who came second on the overall medals table to make Nigeria proud by constantly improving on their performance.
In a statement in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the President said he had never been in doubt about their zeal and determination to make Nigeria great.
The statement expressed the President’s deep joy that several of the the teams did Nigeria proud and singled out for special commendation, the basketball team, D’Tigers Basketball Team which earned the nation a Gold medal for the first time in 50 years, and by which feat, the country got an automatic ticket to the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.
President Buhari said that the performance of Team Nigeria to the Congo games has yet again brought the massive potentials of Nigerian sports men and women to excel in their chosen areas against all odds. He implored the country’s athletes to do all they can to ensure that Nigeria regains its number one position in Africa and the world at large.
The statement noted that a presidential delegation had attended the closing ceremony and conveyed the President’s congratulations to Team Nigeria and its officials. He promised the team of a fitting ceremony.
President Buhari assured Nigeria’s sports men and women that his administration would accord priority to sports, in addition to boosting the morale of the players and enhancing training for future challenges. He reminded the sports men and women not to rest on their oars because the challenges grow bigger and more complex each day. [myad]