Kwara Polytechnic To Host NIPOGA

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The Kwara state Polytechnic, Ilorin, is set to host the 20th edition of the Nigeria Polytechnic Games, NIPOGA,   which will begin on the 5th of February 2020.

About 4,000 participants will be registering presence at the games.

The Rector,  Engr. Abdul Jimoh Muhammed stated  readiness of the institution to host the polytechnic students  at a news conference held on Wednesday, January 29, 2020  in Ilorin.   He was joined by leaders of communities around the polytechnic.

‘The facilities to be used for the games have been put in good shape. It is our hope that the event will foster unity among the participating institutions, encourage discipline and enhance physical fitness.   It is also expected that it will remove cultural, tribal, religious, racial barriers and other parochial differences among the participants’ he said.

While noting that the event ought to have been held in December last year, Jimoh gave reasons for the major timing changes.

‘Although, the games ought to have come up last year December, just a month after my resumption but I had to  appeal to the National Executive of NIPOGA for postponement to February 2020, for us to have proper arrangements for the successful hosting of the game’ he said.

Speaking on the security arrangements put in place ahead of the event, the Rector noted that all heads of security agencies in the state, including the Army are already carried along in order to ensure a hitch free event.

Jimoh urged   leaders of communities around the polytechnic to be friendly to students from across the country that will be participating in the games, noting that majority of them may be first -time visitors to the state and should therefore have memorable experience about the state and the people.

‘We should all be ready to assist, interact, direct our guests who are relatively new to this state, we must all avoid being hostile to our guests as much as we can, to display affable disposition before, during and after the event, because they  so much rely on us to always guide them properly, whenever occasion demands’ he noted.

The Rector also asked the host and the visitors at the forthcoming games to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship in order to solidify the existing peace and harmony that Kwara state is known for.    About 51 Polytechnics and Monotechnics are expected to participate in the games with 3,000 athletes and 1,000 officials.

Contingents will be participating in games   that includes; Volleyball, Table Tennis, Scrabble, Hockey, Athletics, Handball, Tennis, Basket Ball, Chess, Badminton, Taekwondo and Football.    They will also make use of some facilities at the Kwara state stadium