IKA WEEKLY – An Ika indigene from Ekwuoma in Ika North East Local Government Area, Mr. Asielue Ekas was honoured by the Delta State Football Referees Council on the 1st of October, 2007.
The award, Ika Weekly gathered was in recognition of his outstanding contributions and service to the Delta State Football Referees Council. The award was tagged ‘Award of Excellence’.
Mr. Asielue who retired a few months ago as a senior referee in Delta State, is currently a match commissioner with the state’s football association. He is also a non-academic staff of College of Education in the weekend (NCE) programme of the institutition.
In a chat with Ika Weekly, Mr. Asielue disclosed that he officiated in football in the country up to the highest level of premier league.
Commenting on the development of the round-leather game in Ika land, he noted that football cannot grow in the locality because of lack of sponsorship and facilities; adding that the only way it can is for wealthy Ika sons and daughters to support the game both morally and financially.
Mr. Asielue decried the situation whereby the only stadium in Ika land is lying waste without being put into functional use; stating that the site of the Agbor township stadium is a very big minus to sports development in Ika land.
The retired senior referee observed that Ika has good sons and daughters in sporting activities but unfortunately there seems to be nothing happening in sports in the area, stating that the late Christian Okoh, who was one time best hockey coach, Efan Ekoku, an international footballer based in England and Francis German, the sponsor of Frangers Football Club, in Warri are all from Ika land.
Mr. Asielu commended Mr. Tony Okowa for setting up the Delta Force Football club based in Ogwashi-Uku. He said that the sponsor of the club had to relocate to to Ogwashi-Uku because of lack of training facilities in Agbor Township stadium.
He therefore call on Ika indigenes to emulate the good gesture of Mr. Okowa, while calling on the state government to upgrade the stadium at Agbor, and put it into functional use.
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