Daily Independent Online.
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Thursday, July 08, 2004.
NOC to honour Egbunike, Musa, Maiyegun, others
By Pius Anakali
Senior
Correspondent,
Lagos
The Executive Board
of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, (NOC) has approved the conferment of 2004
Merit award on some distinguished Nigerian sports heroes and corporate bodies
for their contribution towards the development of sports in Nigeria.
On for the special
award are the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic 4+400 metres quartet of Innocent
Egbunike, Sunday Uti, Moses Ugbisien and Rotimi Peters. Also on the list is ex
international table tennis player, Atanda Musa and Nojeem Maiyegun, the Bronze
medal winner in the lightweight event in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Others include Dr.
Kunle Joseph, former president of Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Governor Abba
Bukar Ibrahim of Yobe State and chairman Nigeria Hockey Federation and
sportscaster, late Ernest Okonkwo.
Corporate bodies
also listed for honour include, The Nestle Foods Plc., Coca Cola Nigeria
Limited and Akintola Williams, Doilette, & Touche, a firm of chattered
accountant that has been
supporting the Nigeria Olympic Committee.
The award, Daily
Independent gathered was in continuation of an objective, which the committee
initiated last year aimed at identifying with former athletes, individuals and
corporate groups that have used their influence to support sports.
‘We in the
Olympic movement believe that the gesture will go a long way in our recognition
of the sterling contribution of those who have either brought honours to the
country or assisted in sustaining the tempo of development of sports in
Nigeria”.
The Award committee
singled out for mention the outstanding achievement of the 1984 Olympics
quartet that won bronze, the first Olympic track and field medal in Olympics.
