By Edwin Philip
The President of Nigerian Baseball, Softball and Little League Association (NBSA) Mr. Uche Odozor has praised the commissioner of sport Kaduna State, Professor Benjamin Kumai Gugong for devoting his time in supporting the activities of baseball in the country and ensuring that the sport take it rightful place in the sporting hall of fame in Nigeria.
The President made this known shortly after a robust training session at the baseball park located within the package B section of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja, he thanked the Kaduna State sport commissioner for being a pillar of baseball right from the election that brought the current executive into office and travelling all the way from Kaduna to witness the first set of little league to play in park for the first time since 1993.
“Most importantly today we have the honourable commissioner for sport Kaduna State, all the way from Kaduna, he is also a professor, so he is not only doing sport, in the academic world he has reached his peak, he has excel in education yet he started humbly, look at where he is today” he said.
“This park has officially been handed over to Nigerian softball and baseball association, this was made possible the chairman National Sport commission, through his alliance Prof held our hands took our matter straight forward into the National Sport commission and that brought about this facility been handed over to us today, we have an office a that goes with it, a very befitting office ” he added.
On his part, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Sports Development, Prof. Benjamin Kumai Gugong, commended the NBSA President for his efforts in reviving the sport after a 32-year inactivity, he encouraged the young base ballers to be committed to their personal development and the growth of baseball in Nigeria, noting that the prospects in baseball are enormous.
The commissioner however promised t to replicate the revival of baseball and softball in Kaduna State, highlighting the benefits of baseball in promoting mental well-being, developing and contributing to national development.
“Apart from improvement of the mental capacity of the people that ply it, it helps to improve reasoning, it a game that you need to use a lot of intelligence, it is a tactical game that, it is good in mind building, we are shifting from just seeing sport as recreation, we now see sport as business, we would encourage young people and others who want to go into it to take it seriously” he said.
Speaking to journalist, the NBSA Director of Administration, Dr. Armstrong Oguche, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is interested in sports and place keen interest in the NBSA activities through the National Sport commission, he announced that the association have commenced weekend training sessions in Abuja, Lagos, Ilorin, Niger, and other parts of the country.
The epoch making training session had in attendance children ages from five to 15 years from schools across Abuja, a trainer from Japan, seasoned coaches, baseball veterans and parents, the weekend training sessions are preparations for tournaments which will commence in no distance time according to the NB.