The proprietor of Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) side, Naija Ratels, Barrister Paul Edeh, has said he was pleasantly surprised when he was conferred with the SportsVille Award recently.
The president of Ratels Sports Development Foundation (RSDF) was among distinguished Nigerians who were honoured with the SportsVille Awards last Saturday in Lagos for their outstanding contributions to sports development in Nigeria.
Reacting to the newest feather to his cap, Edeh who is a leading promoter of female football in Nigeria said “I feel really elated by the honour bestowed on me by the organisers of the SportsVille Awards.
“Honestly, it was an unsolicited award that came to me as a huge surprise. As a matter of fact, I had rejected awards in the past where organisers sought for pecuniary benefits.
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“All we have been able to achieve in sports over the years has been done with the right intentions and not in expectations for a reward or award. So when I was contacted and informed that I was to receive the SportsVille Award along with 15 others, I was surprised.
“I believe that the organisers may have noticed the series of impacts that we must have made in sports generally and women football specifically over the years. So, I count it a rare privilege to be honoured along with other prominent Nigerians who have been in the sports scene for far longer than me.
“The array of recipients of the 2023 edition of the SportsVille Awards is a testament to its credibility. I did not solicit for the award either directly or indirectly. Therefore, I am convinced that it is credible and should be encouraged to continue.”
A former Nigerian international and one time Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr. Patrick Ekeji and a former chieftain of the NSC and current Chief of Staff to the Minister of Sports, Malam Abba Yola, were among those honoured with SportsVille Awards.
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