Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State, Dr Francisca Nwafulugo, has inaugurated the 2023 inter-departmental games of the institution.

Nwafulugo, who is the first female rector of the institution, performed the opening ceremony on the polytechnic’s global pitch, Oko, in the Srumba North Local Government Area of the state.

The games, for the Rector’s Unity Cup, will feature Football, volleyball, athletics, 100m, 200m, 400m, 1500m, 4 by 100m, badminton, table tennis all in the male and female categories.

In her remarks, Nwafulugo called on the federal and state governments to use sports to promote friendship, social cohesion, economic empowerment and national unity.

“The Federal Government has done a lot for Nigerians and still on it but you know people want more. I want to say they should keep it up. We want good things in the country. We want a country that is friendly where everybody will have a place and say.

“Sports is an outdoor activity that brings the spirit, soul and mind together. I think sports is the best thing for us now. Sports brings people together in unity. We need to be together to achieve more things,” she said.

The rector, who is rounding off her five-year term, said that she had neither underestimated the power of sports nor neglected it in office despite limited resources.

She thanked the management, staff and students of polytechnic for their consistency in organising sports competitions and their cooperation with her administration.

“I want to thank God for this year’s sports competition that marks the first activity towards my end of tenure which is just one out of several other events. It is an honour today as I kick off this Rector’s Unity cup games and I sincerely appreciate it, thank you for making me proud. From now till November 9, we shall have exciting moments of sports and prizes to be won.

“Sports had never been neglected since the inception of my tenure, we went to the Nigeria Polytechnic Games and Staff Games, we funded them and came back with many trophies.

“We did not miss any of those sports competitions despite the fact that we are facing financial challenges,’ said Nwafulugo.

“It has been a good journey of success and challenges, five years is just like yesterday but we have recorded many achievements, thanks to the hard working team that made it happen,” she said.

Nwafulugo was joined at the kick off by other senior staff of the polytechnic, including Deputy Rector, Mr Uche Onyegbu, Ag Registrar, Mr Obini Onuchukwu, Chief Librarian, Dr. Nwabu Ezemba, and Director Academic Planning. Dr. Ferguson Ezeokafor,

Others were Director of Sports Mr Kehinde Ogunbunmi, and Director of Sports and the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Chijioke Ibeziako among others.

(NAN)