The chairman, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Imo State chapter, Rot.Everest Ezihe has urged the Imo State Government, Imo Football Association (FA) and the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) to as a matter of neccesity imortalize late Henriatta Ukaigwe.
Ezihe, speaking at a one day lecture organized by Wakawaka Sports in memory of Late Henriatta Ukaigwe, held at the FA office, Dan Anyiam Sports Stadium,Owerri said that imortalizing Henriatta becomes necessary as a way of keeping her legacies.
The SWAN chairman assured that SWAN owe Late Henriatta, an accomplished sports journalist the obligation to imortalize her while urging other sport bodies to toll the same line in recorgnition of her selfless and enormouse contributions while she was alive.
He commended the organizers of the lecture for puting together the program for the remembrance of a life president of Female Football Interest Group (FFIG) who initiated and funded to groom, discover, nurture, and mentor young girl-child to play football at the highest hieght in the country.
In his speach earlier, the Chairperson of Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL), Aisha Folade said that the history of Women Football in Nigeria cannot be written with finality without the evergreen signature of Late Henriatta Ukaigwe.
Represented by the Director Nigeria Women Football League, Mr. Joe Anele, Folade said that Late Henriatta has answered the supreme call meant for all mortals.
She said that her death really gave devastating blow to the game of Women’s football in Nigeria adding that the football family is still in rude shock at her premature departure.
While thanking the organizers Wakawaka Sports for puting together the leecture adding that it’s the right way to go to keep Henriatta’s name in minds because of what she fought for, stood for, and died for.
The Chairperson recalled that Late Henriatta was there for the development empowerment of the girl-child entronment of a solidly built women league and removal of every societal norns that hinders the women from achieving her full potentials and destinations through the sports.
She said that Henriatta untill she died was a board member of Nigeria Women Football League and had previously served as coordinator of the women mainstream team, Super Falcons and media attache, coordinator and media attache officer of the U- 20 team, the Falconets.
According to her, Late Henriatta brought a notable persond to both national and International lime light through her mentoring program which include Perpatua Nkowocha, Desire Oparanozie, Rita Nwadike, Stella Mbachu among others.
In his speach, the chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wakawaka Sports, Comrade Kennedy Onwunali said that he organized the one day lecture in honour of late Henriatta as a founding member of Wakawaka Sports and in remembrance of her achievements while alive.
He thanked the members of Wakawaka team and all that made out time to be part of their honour done to late Henriatta.
The chairman of the occasion and Chairman Imo Football Association, Chief Amanze Uchegbulam while commending Wakawaka Sports for organizing the program, said that Late Henriatta deserve such honour done to her.
Decribing her as a persionate person especially in female football, Uchegbulam acknowledged the fact that Late Henriatta did well in that sector while alive
He called for the sustenance of what she had started as a way to keep her memory alive.
