Okpekpe race’ll reposition track and field in Nigeria – Ogba

The President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Solomon Ogba, on Monday said the Okpekpe road race taking place in Edo State will reposition track and field in the country.
Ogba made the remarks during a visit to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State to intimate him of preparations for the Okpekpe road race holding on May 4.
According to Ogba: “We have decided to bring track and field race back to the traditional home, Bendel.
“The Okpekpe road race will reposition track and field in the country and the prize money for the event will be one of the highest in the world.”
Ogba, who commended the state government for the transformation of Okpekpe Road, venue of the first road race in Nigeria, said Edo State will also host the Athletics Golden meet on April 28.
Oshiomhole, while commending the AFN for bringing the world to Okpekpe in Etsako East Local Government Area for the first road race in the country, said the race is consistent with the rural development agenda of the state administration
He said: “We are excited by the AFN’s decision to organize the first road race in this part of the world.
“For me, we have no apologies as some people say we want to showcase the road to Okpekpe is beautiful.
“We actually want to show there is life in rural Nigeria.
“In Edo State, we pay attention to the rural communities.
“We want to show that in Edo State we do not see the rural people as being inferior to the urban people and as much as we are working in the urban areas.
“We are doing exactly the same thing in our rural areas.
“We want to show that our rural roads are even better than a lot of our federal roads called federal highway.”