Anambra State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Patrick Agha Mba, has declared that better days lie ahead for the state as the Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo administration intensifies investment in sports infrastructure, youth development and grassroots participation across Anambra.
Agha Mba gave the assurance on Saturday during the 2026 Olympic Day celebration in Awka, where hundreds of residents, athletes, sports administrators, club owners and youth organisations participated in the commemorative walk organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
The fitness walk commenced at the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) headquarters, Aroma, and moved through UNIZIK Junction and the Kwata Flyover before ending at the Awka City Stadium, where participants engaged in aerobics, a healthy breakfast session and other recreational activities.
Addressing participants at the stadium, the commissioner explained that Olympic Day commemorates the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on June 23, 1894, and is celebrated globally to promote the Olympic values of moving, learning and discovering through sports.
He described the celebration as a platform for promoting unity, friendship, healthy living and sporting excellence, while commending Ndi Anambra for their impressive turnout and commitment to physical fitness and community participation.
Agha Mba reaffirmed Governor Soludo’s commitment to transforming sports in the state, applauding the completion of the Ekwulobia Township Stadium and the Country Club, which he said would boost grassroots sports development, expand access to modern sporting facilities and productively engage young people.
He pledged that the Olympic Day Walk would become a regular feature in Anambra to deepen grassroots sports development, encourage healthy lifestyles and promote discipline, respect and other enduring values among the youth.
Representing the Nigerian Olympic Committee, sports journalist Mrs. Jennifer Okoye said the annual celebration was designed to inspire mass participation in sports, strengthen the Olympic spirit and encourage healthier communities through regular physical activity while creating opportunities for stakeholders to interact.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Awka North Local Government Area, Mr. ThankGod Anagor, represented by Mr. Augustine Onukwube, described the walk as remarkable, saying the fitness exercise, friendship and camaraderie displayed by participants reflected the true essence of the Olympic movement and healthy living.
He also commended the Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, and her non-governmental organisation for promoting healthy lifestyles among Ndi Anambra, adding that Awka North Local Government remains committed to grassroots sports development within the council area.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation in Anambra State, Mr. Chikelue Iloenyosi, alongside former Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Anambra State Chapter, Surveyor Emeka Obi, and ASTUC Youth President-General, Comrade Ken Okoli, praised the state government’s sustained investment in youth and sports, stressing that sporting activities provide a productive outlet for young people and contribute to social development.
The celebration climaxed with aerobics, a taekwondo demonstration and the presentation of International Olympic Committee Certificates of Participation to attendees, reinforcing the shared commitment of the Anambra State Government and sports stakeholders to fitness, inclusion, youth empowerment and sporting excellence.
OLYMPIC DAY: Agha Mba Hails Soludo’s Sports Revolution, Says Better Days Await Anambra
