The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna is full of commendations for Sports Minister Sunday Dare for drafting the winners of the 34th Dala Hard Court Tennis Championships into his Ministry’s Talent Hunt programme.
Dare was at the final of the glamorous, season-ending tennis tournament in Kano over the weekend and was impressed with the quality of play in the finals of both the men’s and women’s singles. The winners of both categories were teenagers.
Seventeen-year-old Ime Joseph won the men’s singles while sixteen-year-old Marylove Edward won the women’s singles title.
Speaking at the end of the Championships, Gawuna noted that the presence of the Sports Minister added colour to the tournament, confirming his genuine love, passion, and vision for the youth, and for sports development in Nigeria.
The Deputy Governor added that the Sports Minister has made a positive impact and achieved a lot since his appointment.
In his own remarks, Sunday Dare applauded the players for the quality of their performances and also had kind words for the Organizing Committee of the Championships.
Dare said that the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development will not only create an enabling environment for the young, amazing talents coming through in tennis but will also provide resources to support them in achieving their goals.
“Our aim is to see these young talents participate in prestigious grand slams in the not too distant future,” he added.
The chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Dala Hard Court Tennis Championships, Alhaji Bashari Muhammad Gumel, in his vote of thanks, assured that the tournament will keep getting better and bigger with the subsequent editions.