Iyoba College in Benin City, Edo State and Community Secondary Commercial School (C.S.C.S.), Ibiaku Itam in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State have emerged the winners of the Alice Imaria Ehimiaghe award.
For Iyoba College, it won the Alice Imaria Ehimiaghe award for using sports to build the character and learning experiences of students.
Students of the college take part in netball, football, badminton, athletics and cricket, where they recently won the Elizabeth Osato Edebiri memorial cricket tournament for girls in Benin City.
The school has pledged to use the money for the purpose of buying basic sports kits that will be used by their students in preparation for their forthcoming inter-house sports event and future secondary schools’ competitions
Notably, C.S.C.S. Ibiaku Itam in Uyo got the award for using sports to engage and empower their more than 2,000 students.
A cash prize of N150,000 was given to the school management.
Meanwhile, both schools have a dedicated cricket ground with practice nets.
Iyoba College has a small cricket stand, while current construction work at the cricket spectator stand of C.S.C.S. is to be completed soon.
In addition, the two schools have benefitted immensely from the “catch them young” grassroots development programmes of the current Board of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, which has also used cricket to provide psycho-social support to residents of some Internally Displaced Persons and refugee camps in Nigeria.
In a statement made available to the media over the weekend, Community Sport and Educational Development Initiative said three members of the record-making Nigerian U-19 female cricket team were recently hosted by the staff and students of their secondary schools in Uyo and Benin City.
CSED Initiative is a sport for change Non-Governmental Organisation with a mission to use Nigerian children and youth participating in sports related activities to promote literacy and their social well-being.
Its primary goal is to develop well balanced future sports men and women.
The NGO also aims at using sports to empower young persons to fulfil their potentials and achieve their dream of earning a living, while representing Nigeria in international sporting competitions.
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According to the statement, Deborah Bassey and Inyene Umoh were received by a rousing crowd of fellow students of C.S.C.S. Ibiaku Itam in Uyo.
Both students were received in a guard of honour that was mounted by players of the school cricket and netball teams.
Inyene is also a member of the school netball team and she started playing cricket two years ago.
The statement added: “Both students could not hide their delight at the Very Important Personality welcome they received from their fellow students and management of the school.
“The two cricketers were given a token of N20,000 by the event organisers, CSED Initiative.”
The school Principal, Mary Okon, and Ifiok Imin praised the two students for being good ambassadors of the school that had in the past few years dominated different secondary school competitions in Akwa Ibom State.
The assistant coach of the Nigerian U-19 female cricket team, Blessing Etim, also graced the occasion, which she thinks will encourage more students of the school to either try to learn how to play cricket or try other sports like netball, rugby, football, athletics and American flag football that are played in the school.
At Iyoba College in Benin City, cricketer Adeshola Adekunle was also warmly received at the assembly ground of Iyoba College.
Adekunle was commended by the school management for making the school proud in Malaysia.
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