After single-handedly nurturing African track queen, Blessing Okagbare, to
international through the provision of training grants, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta
Uduaghan, governor of Delta State, was part of the 80,000 ecstatic crowd
that witnessed the setting of a new Commonwealth sprint record by the
Delta-born star athlete.
In addition to yearly training grants for Okagbare even before she burst
into the national scene, Dr. Uduaghan last year approved a three-year
training grant of $360,000 to the Delta born Africa’s fastest woman
amongst other incentives to enable her succeed.
The 25 year-old track queen, who won long jump silver and 200m bronze at
the 2013 world championships, got off to a quick start in the women’s 100m
and maintained her form throughout to clock a games record of 10.85secs.
Reveling in the joy of the moment, the governor who was at the stadium to
witness Okagbare’s record breaking performance in a strong field of star
sprinters enthused: “It was a great feeling today being at the stadium in
Glasgow and watching Blessing Okagbare winning the 100m in grand style in
the presence of over 80 thousand people.”
And there is still more to come from Okagbare as she will participate in
the 200 meters, her major specialty, and the long jump where she equally
has bright chances of overhauling the opposition.
Dr. Uduaghan had single handedly taken up the responsibility of nurturing
Okagbare from her humble beginnings to her present status as an
international athlete.
Speaking on the governor’s gesture, Chike Ogeah, Delta State Commissioner
for Information, said it is a product of Dr. Uduaghan’s passion for
developing human capital, a critical pivot of his administration’s
three-point agenda.