Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) president, Engineer Habu Gumel says it is a privilege for him and his board members to honour patrons of the body, sports247.ng can report.
Speaking ahead of the investiture of NOC patrons on Tuesday at Elegushi Palace in Lekki area of Lagos, Gumel said it is a historic occasion that will be talked about for year’s to come.
Gumel further said the investiture of new patrons is a way of bringing light into Nigerian sports.
Gumel informed that the NOC will unveil new patrons at Elegushi’s Palace in Ikate, off Lekki-Epe Expressway, among who are national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Lagos State, Senator Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu.
Others are His Royal Majesty, Oba S. A. Elegushi, former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Chief (Mrs.) Kofoworola Adejoke Nwokedi and Sir Marc Wabara.
He revealed further that, after Tuesday’s investiture, there will be another ceremony for those in the northern part of the country on November 1 in Abuja.
Those 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 former NOC president, Major-General Adamu Dyeri (rtd).
Gumel, who is also an executive board member of International Olympic Committee (IOC), said the patrons are being honoured for contributions to sports development and for efforts in backing the Olympic movement.
He added: “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.
“For you to achieve that, you must have support, moral and financial to equip them to go higher.”
