Internationally recognized business mogul and philanthropist, Prince Ned Nwoko, has said the creation of the first Sports University in West Africa, All-Stars Sports University, Idumeje, Delta State, is a fulfillment of the desire to see Nigeria, and by extension, Africa, trailblazing world sporting achievement.
Reacting to the development, Prince Nwoko said: “The project has not only been in the pipeline since 2017 but has been a burning desire and one of the bills I proposed while in the House of Representatives, which has finally seen the light of the day.”
However, there is a misconception that sports hamper a child’s dedication to academics. While other higher institutions do sports as a leisure activity, the All-Stars Sports University will take sports in the academic world as a lifestyle to build careers that will enable individuals to make their mark and edge their exploits into the accounts of history.
“The university is modeled to pursue the advancement of learning in specialized areas of sports development, including management, as well as to conduct specialized professional coaching courses, and research to advance various breakthroughs in sports.”
Nwoko decried unfounded tales to discredit the good work of some online media suggesting that the university is an Islamic center in disguise.
He noted, “Due to its geographical location and cultural reservations, coupled with the malicious propaganda of the erroneous and misleading tale, tension was generated and the attention of different investigative entities and panels of inquiry at various levels, including the Nigeria Police Force, was attracted.
The various reports and inquiries after the investigation had one basic fact in common; that the university was constructed for the purpose it was labeled, a sports university and nothing more.
“I, therefore, call on all and sundry to eschew peddling malicious tales and support my vision of rewriting the sporting narrative of our country.”
The business mogul disclosed that “the university is taking off with a secondary school section to scout athletic talents from infancy to proactively improve the number of athletes who finish their education with credentials/training for both sports and non-sports careers to nurture growth and transition.
Above all, the university will be a source of employment for thousands of residents of the host community and beyond.