Students have been urged to embrace the culture of sports and its benefits as being physically fit, would lead to better academic performance.
President of Commonwealth Games Nigeria, Engr. Habu Gumel, stated this stated this during the visit of the Queens baton relay to Aduvie International School Abuja, Weekend.
The Queen’s Baton for the 2022 Commonwealth Games is moving across the 72-member countries and territories of the Commonwealth. Nigeria is its third stop, and first in Africa. From here the Baton goes to Gambia and ends up in Birmingham at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Gumel said one of the reasons why the Nigeria Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Games Nigeria partnered with Aduvie International School is to blend education with sports, and therefore expressed appreciation to the Proprietor of Aduvie International School for collaborating with the NOC to host the baton in Abuja.
He said, “As member nations prepare for the Commonwealth Games, the Queen.s Baton relay, an iconic event, started at Buckingham Palace in London as part of the Commonwealth Day festivities. From the countdown, the opening ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is less than a year from today. The Queen’s Baton Relay which is similar to the Olympic Torch Relay goes around the Commonwealth nations, carrying a message from the Head of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11.
“At our level, the Commonwealth Games Nigeria endeavours to place at the disposal of both athletes and students’ opportunities for training and personal development. We believe that when students are physically fit, they will achieve more academically. Sports develop a sense of friendliness among children and team spirit. It helps children to gain higher level of mental and physical alertness.
“Commonwealth Games Nigeria is therefore using the arrival of the Queen’s baton in our shores to raise awareness of our partnership with schools which is in line with the values of Commonwealth Sports Foundation. It is therefore a good omen that the Queen’s baton is visiting Aduvie today which will no doubt encourage students to embrace the culture of sports and its benefits.:
In his remarks, Head of School, Aduvie International School Abuja, Mr. Abiodun Olusoji, expressed delight at the opportunity to host the Queens Baton Relay organised in preparation for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games which will take place at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom from 28th July to 8th August 2022.
The Head of School also congratulated a student of Aduvie International School, Miss Abaiola Joy Jonathan for emerging as the next Common Wealth Torch Bearer for Nigeria based on her sports and humanitarian achievements.
According to Mr Olusoji, “We congratulate her and her family members for the extraordinary performance. We feel happy and fulfilled as teachers and as a school. We feel motivated to do more because our students are doing us proud, not only in academics, but in every facet of school life. We feel proud of our country, Nigeria. We congratulate the winner, Aduvie International School and Nigeria”.
He stated Aduvie students were part of the twenty-five students from five secondary schools in Nigeria who faced a panel of judges from the University of Birmingham to determine the Common Wealth Torch Bearer for Nigeria during the Queen’s Baton Relay at the University of Birmingham Campus, UK between 28th July and 8th August, 2022. After three days of rigorous interview for all the 25 nominees, two of our students finished in the top three.
“We are using this opportunity to congratulate our country, Nigeria, Aduvie International School Governing Board, our Chief Executive Officer, Management, Students, Parents and Staff,” he stated.
The Head of School said the panel of judges examined each applicant’s records in the following areas in addition to other criteria such as essay writing and oral interview: sporting achievement (preferably at state level or higher) academic excellence and services to the community (for example to local charities or NGOs).
