The champions of the just-concluded Edo State Governors Cup, Ogbe Senior Secondary School, led by its Executive Principal, Mrs Augustina Itohanmwen, Thursday afternoon paid the school’s Matron, Sabina Chikere, a courtesy visit at her office at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
The visit to the Executive Director of Operations and Sports Development of the sports commission was in the company of the principal, Mr Harrison Ogwu, members of the school staff and the captain of the boys’ team.
The courtesy visit also includes witnessing the school presenting the trophies won to Mrs Sabina by the school principal who eulogised the astute sports administrator for her motherly support and mentorship of the school’s Blue House.
While receiving the school in her office, Sabina reechoed the state’s sports commission vision and their plans on getting that done.
”We will keep improving by the special grace of God on our performances in sports.”
“What we want in Edo State is when you talk about sports in the country and at the international level, you must have an Edo state person mentioned; if you don’t have an Edo state person, then they have not started, there are no sports.”
I am really so excited and grateful that the little things we did are paying off, and by the special grace of God, we will all join hands together to ensure that these our young stars keep growing and developing in the right way — for those of them that want to build a career in sports.
“Like we also preach, we want to encourage Sports and Education because the lifespan of a sportsman is short on the track and field.”
“By the time you are no longer active as a sportsman, with your education, you will have a backup. By this, we are working on giving our sportsmen and women a second address.”
There are so many who did sports to their prime, but they are nowhere now because they couldn’t marry their sports and education together. As a sports person, as you age, your veins and your bones are shutting down, and you are no longer as active as you were when you were young.”
“But with your education, it’s either you go for education or you learn a skill so that at least you have a second address and you have something to fall back to.”
“I’m excited that the school won this trophy; it shows that there are signs of a bright future for our athletes in the state. Congratulations to all of you, congratulations to you too, the principal.”
Earlier, the school principal, Mrs Itohanmwen, in her words while presenting the won trophies to Mrs Sabina, said: “When I came to the school, one of the people who came through for us in the area of sports was Mrs Sabina. What shocked me most was getting her financial support for the competition and on the final day, she stayed back all through till the end of the events supporting the team. You don’t know his much I value this.”
“The students are glad they have someone like you as their matron; they see you as a mentor, and I see you as a sister.”
Ogbe Secondary School boys team won the 2025 governor’s cup by beating St Peters Grammar School 3-0 in the final played at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on May 27, 2025