A renowned sports consultant and Chairman of Akwa United Football Club, Mr. Paul Bassey has hinted how the former Vice Chairman of ExxonMobil companies in Nigeria, Mr. Udom Inoyo helped Nigeria and Akwa Ibom state in particular discover talented Akwa Ibom athletes who have made the state proud internationally.

In an article published at the back page of Politics Today newspaper, Mr. Bassey described the contributions of the former oil and gas mogul to the development of not just Nigerian sports but Akwa Ibom talents. In the piece titled “Udom Inoyo and Sports Development in Nigeria” Mr. Bassey noted in glowing terms that the many sacrifices made by Mr. Inoyo to Akwa Ibom state is not complete without mentioning the role he played in the discovery of talented Akwa Ibom sons and daughters in sports.

Noting that “Inoyo is a golden fish” that is why on retirement he was not allowed to “exit into a quiet and seamless retirement life by the government of his home state or given the benefit and privilege of resting like others before him; who, having gone into retirement from years of serving the nation or some reputable international corporation should have retired into the peace of fishing on holiday beaches around the world” hence he was quickly drafted by Akwa Ibom state government “into the copious work of teaming up with equally well-honed and endowed egg-heads to chart a post – COVID-19 economic survival and reconstruction blue print for Akwa Ibom State government.”

Mr. Bassey narrated that: “I have heard and read about Udom Inoyo’s retirement from Corporate life; heard and read about his Growing Business Foundation (GBF) Micro-Credit Facility for micro, medium and small enterprises in the state.

“I have heard and read about this illustrious son of Akwa Ibom’s relentless contribution to developing education through the Inoyo-Toro Foundation, a solely private initiative where indigent students, hardworking and dedicated teachers and the state’s poorest of the poor have benefited from scholarships, monetary and distinguished awards in service or starter financial packs to roll off small businesses with a view to eradicating poverty among the state’s expanding socio-economic segment.

“I have heard and read about so many things including his timeous promotion of oil and gas projects resourcing to the exclusive advantage of our state and country, Nigeria; the Support and Training Entrepreneur Program (STEP) that has raised many of our indigenous youths from crime and poverty to excellence and success. But I am yet to hear and read about some of his contributions to sports, which happens to be my culture medium.”

He averred further that while in ExxonMobil, Mr. Inoyo “superintended over the Akwa Ibom State/MPN/Schools Athletics and Championships. A sports talent and skill discovery programme which ran for a whole of 15 years. On his table was the decision to fund and host a competition dedicated to the honing of the athletics fortunes of the youths, in schools and colleges of Akwa Ibom State” and he did not disappoint as he was saddled with the project which he delivered aimed at benefiting the youths of Akwa Ibom state.

He said: “As consultant to the project, I had the herculean task of convincing the top Mobil Producing Management of the need to fund and support this novel ideal even as a corporate social responsibility.

“Whenever I walked into that meeting, there is no gainsaying the fact that the presence of Udom Inoyo was the needed vaccine, a shot in the arm that aided the quality and flow of my presentation and inspired a responsibility buoyed by his ever nodding head and body language.

“Every year for 15 unbroken years, I had a responsibility of defending the need to stage the competition in Akwa Ibom and every year, I got the approval and nod of the ever demanding and highly expectant Mobil Producing Nigeria, thanks to Udom Inoyo. “Today, Akwa Ibom can, through that novel investment and vision boast of a cream of talented young men and women who passed through this programme to establish themselves in the national and continental limelight of sports.”

Mr. Bassey explained that the impact of the support given to sport by ExxonMobil courtesy of Mr. Inoyo was wonderful, as Akwa Ibom State won Athletics event with six gold, five silver and seven bronze medals at the 1st Nigeria Junior Sports Festival in Abuja, where an Akwa Ibomite, Aniekeme, emerged the fastest female junior athlete in the country and proceeded to represent Nigeria at the African Championship in Addis Ababa and Mauritius, where she also excelled exceedingly.

Mr. Bassey concluded by thanking Mr. Inoyo on behalf of numerous Akwa Ibom athletes among which are: Ifiok Andrew (400m), Goodnews Akanimoh Ntuk (400m), Christiana Emmanuel (400m), Deborah Emmanuel (800m), Bright Ikpe Tom (100m), Esther Ekanem (100m), Atiata Daniel (800m), Esther Okon (100m, 200m), Aniekeme Alphonsus (100m, 200m), Comfort James (800m), Deborah Johnny (400m) and Idara (Javelin) for the opportunity given to them through his interventions.