By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Stakeholders from across Nigeria, Thursday, celebrated the Sports Ambassador of Nigeria on Rugby, Princess Alban Ugonwaezeh-Agugo over her numerous achievements and humanitarian services to the people within a few years of her rising.
Ugonwaezeh-Agugo, a native of Adazinnukwu in Anaocha LGA of Anambra State, is a multi talented and multiple award winner, who was recently selected by the World Rugby for the Capgemini Women in Rugby Leadership Programme for 2024 and 2025, a game aimed at accelerating the development of the women’s and girls’ game ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.
Speaking at Awka, the Anambra State during at an occasion geared towards celebrating the Princess giant strides in sports, the first female professor of Sports management, Professor Florence Adeyanju, described her as a trailblazer, noting that she had within a short period of time inspired and empowered youth through sports.
Contributing, the former Transition Committee Chairman of Anaocha LGA, Hon. Gerald Ikechukwu Ozoh, said she is an ambassador worth celebrating as she has helped to discover and mentored women sports talents within the Council Area and should be encouraged to do more in Anambra State and beyond.
On his part, a sports investor and 2021 gubernatorial candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Mr Valentine Ozigbo, urged youth to take a cue from her success story and embrace opportunities to harness their talents in sports.
Ozigbo, however, urged the federal and State governments to invest more in sports so as to engage the youth with relevant skills they would use in developing Nigeria.
On his part, the President General, Adazinnukwu Town Union, Engr. Amaechi Ọsọndu Maduka, while recalling how the celebrant had uplifted and empowered many younger generation in the community, assured that their support to her in all programmes and actions geared towards developing sports in Anambra State and beyond.
Earlier, the World Rugby rising star and Chairman, Anambra State Rugby Sports Association, Princess Alban Ugonwaezeh-Agugo, said she got joy helping people to succeed and urged the youth to embrace opportunities, with dedication and hardworking, and they would succeed in their chosen careers.
On how best to discover and nurture sports talents from the grassroots level, Ugonwaezeh-Agugo adviced governments, individuals and associations wishing to organise sporting events to always sensitise the stakeholders involved in the event, as well as ensure that medical facilities and teams were on ground to prevent casualties.