The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu has won the Sun Newspaper Sports Personality of the Year Award 2020.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Ebomhiana Musa, quoted the Sun Publishing Limited, publishers of Daily Sun, Saturday Sun, Sunday Sun and Sporting Sun as saying that the award been bestowed on Shaibu “is in line with the Newspaper’s vision of recognizing men and women who have distinguished themselves in their respective endeavours and contributed immensely to the development of the country”.
Since Shaibu emerged as the Deputy Governor of Edo State in 2016, under the Obaseki-led administration, he has been saddled with the onerous responsibility of reviving sports and restoring the lost glory of Edo State among the comity of states in Nigeria.
It is to the credit of the Deputy Governor that he led the State’s football club, Bendel Insurance back to the Nigerian Professional Football League in 2018, after being in the NNL for over a decade on account of many years of neglect by successive administrations.
It is on record that Shaibu is the only sitting Deputy Governor in Nigeria, dead or alive, to have registered and played for a professional football club.
He has been a vocal voice against the maladministration and sharp practices being perpetrated by some officials and administrators of the Nigerian football league.
In a recent press interview, the Shaibu vowed to continue to be at the vanguard of exposing corrupt officials in the football circle who have brought the round leather game to disrepute.
“It is a shame that the Nigerian league is being run by gamblers and some dubious club owners who have compromised the standard of the game.
“I will continue to speak against the people who do not mean well for our football until the right thing is done and a level playing field is provided for clubs to showcase their prowess”, Shaibu vowed.
The formal bestowment of the Sports Personality of the Year Award on the Deputy Governor comes up on Saturday, 16 October 2020 at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
