The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Ovie of Ughelli, Wilson Ojakovo Oharisi 111, and the leadership of the old students associations of Hussey College Warri and Government College, Ughelli, have commended the immediate past President of the Nigeria Football Federation and member of FIFA Council, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, for his commitment to youth, sports and educational development.
The commendations were made on Tuesday on different occasions in Warri and Ughelli, during the commissioning of Ultra-Modern sports facilities built and donated by Pinnick through his Brownhill Foundation to both Hussey College and Government College.
At Hussey, Pinnick built a basketball court and a volleyball court while at Government College, he built a basketball court.
At the commissioning of the two facilities at Hussey College, the Olu of Warri was particularly excited as he recalled that his father, Olu Atuwatse II, was an old boy of Hussey College and had wished him to attend the same school.
Inspired by Pinnick’s gesture and the standard of the facilities, the Olu took to the court and stunned the students, old boys and the gathering with his basketball shooting skills.
He noted that Pinnick may not be the wealthiest of Hussey College old boys before electing to build the facilities and that his gesture was worthy of emulation.
“This young man has just decided to etch his name in gold and in the sands of time.”
National President of Hussey College Old Students Association, also National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Elder Emmanuel Ogidi, said in his remark that he has been challenged by Pinnick’s gesture.
“Even when some of us have influenced projects to Hussey College, Warri, in times past by virtue of the positions we have occupied in government, none of us have done anything in our individual capacities as Amaju Pinnick is doing “.
At the commissioning of the basketball court in Government College, Ughelli, President General of the Old Boys Association, Olorogun Albert Akpomudje SAN, described Pinnick as a shinning example that should be emulated for his commitment to sports development in Nigeria.
He noted that the facility will undoubtedly create opportunities for young athletes to aspire and realise their full potentials, with a profound and lasting impact on the students and the community at large.
For the Ovie of Ughelli, the occasion was a milestone in his over four decades of reign. He poured royal blessings on Pinnick for looking beyond football to provide support in other sports.
Elated by the gesture, Chief Majemite Gordons, an indigene of Ughelli who came in company with the Ovie called on the Federal Government to bestow national honours on Pinnick for his philanthropies which have impacted society to a large extent.