By Jonathan Ugbal
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen Wednesday unveiled the trophy for the 23rd edition of the Nigerian Judiciary games holding in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
The trophy is modeled after the FIFA world cup trophy and was unveiled at the chambers of the Chief Judge of Cross River State at the Judicial Headquarters in Calabar.
Over 10 sporting activities will be contested for by Judiciary staff from about 11 states in the games billed to kick off Thursday (tomorrow) by 3:30PM at the U.J Esuene sports stadium which aims to relieve Judicial staff from their sedentary lifestyles due to the nature of their jobs.
“The judicial functions are quite sedentary and that is why the competition is organized to give staff of the judiciary to exercise so that at retirement you won’t be stiff,” said Justice Onnoghen ho was represented by Justice Inyang Okoro, a Judge of the Supreme Court.
He said that the essence of the unveiling of the trophy was a tradition aimed at making competitors put in their best to make the games successful.
“In every competition, for it to be competitive, there must be a prize to be won.
“The prize is the encourage for all the competitors and if there is no prize, the competitors will not put in effort.
“Maybe, the competitors did not know the kind of trophy they are fighting for but now that it is has been unveiled, I have the feeling that it is going to be one of the best,” he said.
He encouraged all categories of judicial staff to participate in the games and charged them to play; “in the spirit of fair play. Let the spirit of sportsmanship be exhibited all through the competition.”
The Acting Chief Judge of the Cross River State High Court, Justice Michael Edem in his remarks said that the athletes should expect nothing short of world class hospitality as Calabar was is the home of sports.
“Now that it has come, we have to make it the very best,” Justice Edem said, adding that: “We bless the day this idea was mooted.”
He posited that there was nothing “more unifying than sports and that it has come to Calabar, is no surprise because Calabar is a front liner when it comes to sports.”
On hospitality, Justice Edem said that: “Calabar being what it is in terms of hospitality it will be a memory. Memories that will never be forgotten.”
Earlier, the President of the Judicial games body, NASAJ, Justice Emeka Ndili said that the unveiling had become a tradition with each new Chief Justice of Nigeria enjoying the privilege of his home state being the first point of call in his tenure.
The Cross River State Government had earlier announced that about 1,000 athletes will participate in the games and expressed it’s readiness to host the games.
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