Abia State Governor Alex Otti on Tuesday inaugurated the inaugural South-East Shooting Competition, hailing the initiative as a vital avenue for uncovering athletic potential and bolstering youth opportunities in Nigeria’s southeast.
The event in the state capital forms part of Otti’s push to diversify sports offerings beyond staples like football and basketball, positioning shooting as a gateway to Olympic success and broader empowerment.
Otti, addressing the launch ceremony, underscored the sport’s global stature and its untapped promise for grassroots growth.
“Shooting is a globally recognised Olympic sport, and when we came on board, I promised to develop sports beyond the conventional ones,” Otti said.
“Today, alongside boxing, football and basketball, shooting has been introduced and promoting sports, such as shooting, will empower our youths and enhance our chances of winning medals in national and international competitions,” he added.
The governor praised the Shooting Association of Abia for spearheading the contest and pledged ongoing state backing for groups exhibiting accountability and focus on young athletes.
He cited the association’s recent medals at the National Sports Festival as evidence of shooting’s viability, committing to community-level events to scout and train emerging talents.
“Our strategy is to catch them young through community-based competitions and nurture them,” Otti stated.
“We already have a growing pool of athletes capable of competing at state, national and international levels, and we are confident that Abia will produce future Olympic champions,” he said.
The competition aims to elevate Abia’s standing in national arenas while fostering discipline and ambition among participants, amid Nigeria’s efforts to expand its sporting footprint internationally.
