The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OKPEKPE

  • Okpekpe race organisers hail Lagos State govt

    • On successful organisation of Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

    Organisers of the prestigious Okpekpe 10km road race have congratulated the Lagos State government on the successful organisation of the first Access Bank Lagos City Marathon last Saturday in Lagos.

    Mike Itemuagbor, owner of Okpekpe road race, the only IAAF labelled road race in Nigeria, believes Lagos State, particularly Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Deji Tinubu have succeeded in putting Lagos on the map of the world as one of the destination areas as far as international marathons are concerned and wants the organisers of the Lagos City Marathon to build on the successes they  recorded in this first edition.

    ‘I want to sincerely congratulate Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his total commitment to the organisation of the race which many have adjudged to be very successful. It shows that he is a sports loving governor,” said Itemuagbor.

    ‘I also want to congratulate Deji Tinubu as well as the Athletic Federation of  Nigeria for a job well done,”he  said and hopes this race and the Okpekpe 10km road race can help nurture that culture of long distance running that was aborted following the controversy that trailed the last full marathon held in Lagos in the 90s.

    Apart from the athletics and tourism benefits that can be derived from the organisation of the Lagos City Marathon, Itemuagbor also wants the government to promote the health benefits inherent in running long distance road races as well as use the marathon to promote specific purposes or events or projects.

    ‘The health benefits in running a marathon or any road race are huge. Beyond helping you to lose or maintain weight, there are lots of other health benefits,” said Itemuagbor.

    “Running will strengthen your heart and ensure the efficient flow of blood and oxygen throughout your body, which helps decrease your risk of a heart attack,”he said. He believes if a culture of running is developed,it will lead to people engaging in exercises which is one of the best ways to naturally reduce blood pressure if it’s above normal and it can help keep high cholesterol in check.

    “Running also improves your immune system, so your body functions are more effective and efficient at fighting off germs,”he added.

    Itemuagbor also wants the organisers to use the race to promote specific events or projects.

    ‘We are using the fourth edition of the 10km Okpekpe road race on May 7 in Okpekpe to promote cancer awareness among the rural women in the locality.I will like the organisers of the Lagos City Marathon to have this in mind when planning for the second edition,”he said.

  • Oshiomhole: I can do what young people do

    Oshiomhole: I can do what young people do

    Barely 24 hours after he wedded former Miss Iara Fortes, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole Saturday participated in the annual 10 kilometers Okpekpe road race.

    The governor who completed the 10 kilometer race under the VIP category was joined by Chief Mike Ozekhome, Chief Oseni Elamah, Nollywood artistes and other dignitaries.

    In his speech after the race, Oshiomhole said he worked very hard to ensure he emerged winner of the race.

    “I worked hard but was not successful. To do 10 kilometers after the wedding assured me that I am capable and strong to what young people can do”

    Oshiomhole urged businessmen to key into his administration’s rural development by setting up cottage industries, hotels and amusement parks in Okpekpe community in Etsako East local government area in order to boost the economic potentials of the community.

    “I am excited that Okpekpe community is not only now at the world map but people from various part of the world of various countries and various continent are now participating actively in what is now known as the Okpekpe annual 10km road race. I am informed that in this year we have more participants than the previous years and by logic we expect that more and more people will participate.

    “This is one practical way to remind all of us that there is life outside urban cities and that the real Nigerians, the forgotten majority are in our rural communities.

    “I am satisfied that part of the objectives of our rural development policies have been achieved by the growing interest that this competition is trying to attract but i will be even more fulfilled if our industrialists, bankers and investors can provide by complementing this efforts by setting up cottage industries and other business activities. That is the only way we can increase the prosperity of our rural people.”

    “For all us of that participated in this competition you will observe the beautiful scenery, greens all over the place, beautiful valleys, lovely hills you will think that you are in San Francisco. And I think for those who are involved in the entertainment industry there is no better place now to locate a befitting hotel for people who want comfort and quite neighbourhood to have a weekend outside the busying cities and polluted environment that we have in our urban areas.”

    The Okpekpe road race marathon competition which commenced in May 2013 has been dominantly won by athletics from Kenya, Ethiopia for male and female categories.

  • OKPEKPE MOC BEGINS FINAL COUNTDOWN

    OKPEKPE MOC BEGINS FINAL COUNTDOWN

    •Storm Okpekpe for pre-race checks

    The Main Organising Committee (MOC) for the third Okpekpe 10km road race has begun the final countdown for the IAAF bronze label race scheduled to hold in Okpekpe near Auchi in Edo State on May 16.

    Disclosing this to the media on Monday, former Nigeria track and field international and two-time IAAF World championships long jump finalist (1983 & 1987) revealed that the MOC will converge on Benin on Friday before leaving for Okpekpe.

    ‘The final countdown is here and the MOC led by Dan Ngerem (former President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) will meet in Benin on Friday before leaving for Okpekpe to inspect the race course as well as security, accommodation and other arrangements concerning the technical organisation of the race,’ said Ali who also jumped in the finals of the long jump event at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles,USA.

    ‘The MOC will also check on the media arrangements for the event. The race this year will be different from the first two editions because it is now an IAAF bronze label race.This means it is one of the less than 100 races the IAAF has designated as one of the leading road races across the world in 2015.

    ‘This is a great honour to Nigeria and the MOC is determined to ensure it is organised in strict adherence to IAAF rules.We have successfully completed the first hurdle which borders on the invitation of athletes classified under the international elite field. The guidelines for this requires at least four nations to be represented by runners with times faster than the IAAF’s guidelines.

    ‘We have secured two of the three fastest runners in the world so far this year in Kenya’s Amos Kiplimo Mitei who holds the second fastest time (27:58) over the 10km distance so far this year and is one of only two athletes to have run inside 28 minutes this year as well as Ethiopia’s Dawi Fikadu whose 28.04 minutes return is the third fastest time this year,’said Ali, also a former technical committee chairman of the AFN.

    Ali is confident of a successful organisation of this year’s race and the support  received from the Edo State government as well as the various sponsors who have been the driving force behind the successes recorded so far.

    ‘We are indeed very grateful to the Governor of Edo State,Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for his solid support. His decision to participate in the first two editions of the race has added great value to the race,’ he added and specially thanked Mike Itemuagbor, whose company, Pamodzi Sports Marketing owns the race for ensuring Okpekpe has not only become a household name in Nigeria and is now recognised on the map of the world but also made the whole world know Nigeria is not only about the activities of Boko Haram.

  • Okpekpe 2015: Pam gears up with Splash FM Integrity Race title

    Okpekpe 2015: Pam gears up with Splash FM Integrity Race title

    Nigeria’s leading  marathoner, Deborah Pam, has sent a strong warning signal to her competitors at the 2015 edition of the Okpekpe Road Race with an excellent performance at the seventh edition of the Ibadan 42 km marathon tagged ‘Splash FM Integrity Race’ that was held last weekend. The Plateau State-born athlete, who emerged the best Nigerian woman during the last two editions of the Okpekpe Race, won the Ibadan marathon in a record time of 3hrs, 3mins and 23secs.

    Pam said after her victory in Ibadan that she had come of age and hopefully she would emerge the overall winner at this year’s edition of the Okpekpe Race in May.

    “I have been consistent at the competition for the past two years, but I don’t want to settle for less again,” she said.“I want to become the first Nigerian athlete to win the competition and I will be going back home to intensify preparation for the competition.

    “I would have started early but school activities have been affecting my preparation, but with this victory in Ibadan, I can move on from here.”

    Meanwhile, the coordinator of the race, Yusuf Alli, has urged the indigenes of Okpekpe community to actively take part in the tournament.

    “We want more indigenes of the state to be actively involved in the race, we are really looking forward to the locals winning something and hopefully represent Nigeria at the Olympics,” the former Nigeria international said.

  • Nesiama give kudos to Okpekpe organisers

    Nesiama give kudos to Okpekpe organisers

    The Technical Director of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, has poured encomiums on the organisers of the annual Okpekpe 10km Road Race.

    Nesiama said for the organisers to have been consistent for the past three years, it shows that they know what they are doing.

    “We need to encourage our marathoners and that is the reason we have been involving them in our programmes,” Nesiama said.

    “I am using this opportunity to give kudos to the organisers of the Okpekpe Road Race. They have been giving their all to organise a befitting meet for the past three years and I am happy for their efforts.”

    Speaking further, he said so many organisations have been coming to the federation to organise international meets like the Okpekpe Road Race, but they have failed to meet up with the requirements.

    The Naval officer said: “Lots of organisers want to come around and have competitions, but most of them cannot meet up with the requirements needed.

    “We have had issues in the past where promoters held meets and they were unable to pay the athletes even the foreign athletes and the federation was sanctioned for it.

    “There was a time IAAF almost sanctioned AFN because of issues like this, but we never experienced that with the Okpekpe meet.”

    He, however, declared that the federation will continue to give support to the organisers and any organisation that wants to organise a good meet.

  • Okpekpe road race slated for May 3 on IAAF Calendar

    Okpekpe road race slated for May 3 on IAAF Calendar

     The 10km Okpekpe  Road Race, which holds annually in Edo State, has been listed on the IAAF Bronze Label Road Races for May 3, 2015. This comes after its endorsement by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) earlier in the year.

    In a press statement sent by the IAAF Competitions Director, Paul Hardy, he noted that as a member of the IAAF Label Road Race circuit, the initiative was launched earlier in 2014  with the aim to connect the worldwide running community as part of the IAAF Family.

    He said: “  The WorldRunning™ website (www.worldrunning.com) aims to become one of the primary running websites offering information to all levels of runners as well as providing a global ranking system allowing runners across the world to compare their performances against other runners in the same age category, profession, etc.

    “To further assist the IAAF in this endeavour, we are asking all Label Races to inform their participants of this invaluable resource and unique platform which we believe can be of interest to your participants, to your race and to the further development of road running around the world.  A simple mention of WorldRunning in any newsletter, race information or email confirmation to participants would go a long way in helping to spread the news of this important IAAF initiative.”

    The maiden edition of the Okpekpe International Road Race was inaugurated by the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, who was the former president of Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) and also a participant in the Okpekpe International Road Race.

  • Okpekpe now home of sports — monarch

    Okpekpe now home of sports — monarch

    THE Onwueweko of Okpekpe kingdom, HRH (Apa) Peter Abalume Osigbemeh has expressed happiness over the global recognition given to the land arising from the successful hosting of the Okpekpe 10 kilometres Road Race last year.

    Revealing this to journalists in Okpekpe on Sunday morning, Osigbemeh stated that: “I am a fulfilled traditional ruler, the road race has put Okpekpe on the world map. Last year it was good, this second edition will be better. We are ready to host the world, preparation is in top gear. I feel highly elated to be the host because this is my kingdom. The only challenge is that, we don’t have hotels where they will lodge. So, the total benefits of this event will be shared with other communities.

    “Now that it is an annual event ,I am appealing to investors to come and invest, we also have tourism potentials here, they can tap from it. Our community is hilly and mountainous, it is a good environment to live in.

    “Okpekpe is now a home of sports. Few weeks ago, one of our daughters organised a national open weightlifting championship here . She was an international weightlifter. That was an eventful experience and what they are telling people is that Edo is known for sports and we have produced international athletes. So, I am glad with the organisers, my sister Iron Lady and others that are bringing honour to us.

    ” All these good things are happening in my time. First, the Comrade Governor, Adams Oshiomhole unlocked our own community to the outside world. We are 100 per cent grateful to him; secondly, the organiser now sold Okpekpe to the international community. Everyday, we will pray for him for unlocking the potentials of Okpekpe to the international community. We are very rich in culture . We want to welcome our visitors with a dose of our cultural endowment,” he said.

  • Athletes from Africa , Northern Nigeria invade Okpekpe `

    Athletes from Africa , Northern Nigeria invade Okpekpe `

    Athletes from some African countries and Northern Nigeria are currently in the hilly and mountainous community of Okpekpe for training ahead of the second edition of the Okpekpe 10 kilometres road race.

    The race, billed to take place on May 3, is already having registration of over 5,000 athletes across the world.

    A visit by our reporter to the hilly community, revealed that some of the athletes were training ahead of the event.

    An athlete, who simply identified his name as Usman from Kano State, said he missed the first edition of the Okpekpe road race, hence he decided to spend a week in the community to train and get himself used to the road .

    “Oga, I am here to train ahead of the May 3rd race. I came all the way from Kano. Insha Allah, I am training morning and evening. I will stay for a week, then travel back to prepare for the D-day.

    “As you can see right now, we are six from Kano, a friend from Ethiopia is training ahead of the 10 kilometres road race. One thing you must understand here is that, the money involved can turn my life around, so we are coming for business not for jamboree,”Usman said .

    An athlete from Kenya told our reporter that eight of them are already on ground in Auchi for the race. Though, the Kenyan athlete refused to mention his name, but said that they are already on ground for training and will remain on ground till May 3 for the competition.

    Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who resumed training weeks ago ahead of the race, promised to improve on his first edition position of 131.

  • N20m up for grabs as prize money

    N20m up for grabs as prize money

    A total prize purse of about N20M will be paid by the organisers of the Okpekpe 10km Road Race when the second edition holds on Saturday May 3,2014 in Okpekpe, Edo state.

    According to Pamodzi Sports Marketing, financial prizes will be given to the first eight finishers in the men’s race while the first seven finishers will have a share of the prize money in the women’s race.

    The winner of the men’s race will pocket $25,000 while the first and the second runners-up will get $15,000 and $10,000 respectively.

    For the women, the winner will get $15,000; the second placed athlete will get $10,000 while the third placed athlete will go home with $8,000. There are also cash prizes for the first eighth-placed Edo state indigenes (men and women).

    The first man will pocket N100,000 while the second and third placed finishers will get N75,000 and N50,000 respectively. In the women’s category, the first three finishers will get N70,000,N50,000 and N25,000 respectively. The payment of all prize money is dependant upon athletes undergoing and clearing the usual anti-doping procedures.

    Last year, Kenya’s Moses Masai emerged the inugural winner of the men’s title and the accompanying $25,000 top prize.

    As many as 11 foreign athletes including reigning world champion, Aziz Lahbabi of Morocco have registered for this year’s race which Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole says will be an improvement on the maiden edition.

  • 4,000 athletes for Okpekpe Int’l Road Race

    4,000 athletes for Okpekpe Int’l Road Race

    No fewer than 4,000 athletes are to compete in the 10km Okpekpe International Road Race on Saturday in Okpekpe, Etsako-East Local Government Area of Edo.

    The Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Sixtus Omokhagbon, who disclosed the figure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Okpekpe, on Friday said about 3, 500 athletes had so far registered.

    Omokhagbon said the figure was expected to increase to 4, 000 as several other athletes have shown interest to enter for the race before the end of Friday.

    He said the race had athletes from South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria and other African countries.

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Area Commander, Mr David Jimmwan, has said that adequate security arrangement had been made to cover the area before, during and after the competition.

    Jimmwan said the Commissioner of Police, State Security Service and Divisional Police Officers from the Etsako Federal Constituency had already met on the security arrangements.

    He said that over 100 police officers would be deployed for the race, assuring visitors and residents that there was nothing to fear.

    “We will be working in concert with other security agencies, to ensure a smooth race.’’

    Reacting to the race, the monarch of Okpekpe, Chief Peter Osigbemhe, said the sleepy community was waiting to host the world.

    Osigbemhe told NAN the race had placed the community on the world map and would also help to expose the rich tradition of the people.

    “We are also benefiting economically from the race. We will use it to show the world not only our rich tradition but the people’s hospitality.

    “The world will see that this sleepy community that is surrounded by mountains has good and hospitable people,” he added.

    NAN reports that the winner of the male category of the competition will go home with N2.5m, while the female gets N1.8m and N100, 000 would be for the first indigene of the community in the race.

    The race is being organised by the Edo government, in collaboration with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and other organisations.