Celebrating-Chief-(Ambassador)-Ogunu-Miebi-Samson--50-Impactful-Years-of-Grassroots-Sports-Development-in-Nigeria

Celebrating Chief (Ambassador) Ogunu Miebi Samson: 50 Impactful Years of Grassroots Sports Development in Nigeria

Published by Wisdom Tide 
Dave Ikiedei Asei 
October 24th, 2025
The forthcoming celebration of Chief (Ambassador) Ogunu Miebi Samson’s 60 impactful years in grassroots sports marks not just a milestone in his personal journey, but a defining moment for sports development in Nigeria. Over the decades, Chief Ogunu has devoted his time, energy, and resources to nurturing young talents across Rivers, Bayelsa, and other states, including the Federal Capital Territory. His legacy is built on a lifetime of selfless service, driven by an unrelenting desire to change the narrative of grassroots sports in Nigeria.

Friends, partners, and admirers have come together to honor this illustrious Niger Delta son for his remarkable contributions to sports and youth empowerment. Their collective effort has also birthed a greater vision — to establish a sports foundation that will support retired coaches and athletes, particularly those who are incapacitated, ill, or struggling financially. This noble initiative aims to restore dignity to those who once carried the nation’s hopes on their shoulders but are now forgotten and left without means of sustenance.

According to Hon. Uroh Omienkumo Kiani, chairman of the planning committee, grassroots sports remain the cornerstone of national sports development. He emphasized that after the 60th anniversary celebration, the foundation’s programs will positively reshape the future of sports in Nigeria by empowering young coaches and athletes while providing critical welfare support to veterans in need.

Hon. Kiani recalled that former President Goodluck Jonathan had initially proposed a national lottery system to cater to the welfare of retired sportsmen and women — an idea that was unfortunately not realized before he left office. However, he commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for taking tangible steps toward recognizing the sacrifices of athletes by rewarding members of the national female football and basketball teams with $100,000 each earlier this year. He also praised the president’s groundbreaking decision to appoint a Senior Special Assistant on Grassroots Sports Development — the first of its kind since Nigeria’s independence — as a demonstration of renewed commitment to the sector.

In his words, the grassroots sports sector is “the goose that lays the golden egg” for national sports, yet it has often been neglected. Chief Ogunu’s life’s work stands as living proof of the transformative potential of investing in this vital area. His tireless passion, drawn from deep roots in Apparanbie, Akassa Clan, has inspired countless young athletes and coaches who now see him as a symbol of resilience, patriotism, and purpose.

Hon. Kiani further appealed to the Federal Government, the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, as well as state and local governments, to partner with the planning committee in making Chief Ogunu’s diamond jubilee a national event. He urged that the celebrant be accorded a national honor for his unwavering contributions to sports and humanity.

The forthcoming anniversary, chaired by Hon. Hon Uroh Kiani  promises to be a landmark occasion that will bring together prominent figures in Nigeria’s sports industry. Beyond the celebration, it represents a clarion call to honor the living, support the ailing, and rekindle the spirit of service and sacrifice that defines true sportsmanship.

Chief (Ambassador) Ogunu Miebi Samson’s legacy is a testament to what vision, dedication, and compassion can achieve. His 60 years of impactful service remind us that greatness lies not just in winning medals but in uplifting others and building a system that values those who serve the nation through sports — both in their prime and in retirement.

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