Edo to Stop Encroachment on Okpekpe Race Venue

The Edo State Government may halt the continuous encroachment into the land for the makeshift pavilion for the Okpekpe 10 kilometre Road Race.

Sources close to Edo State Government revealed at the weekend that there are some clandestine plans by some people to erect a structure on a part of the land.

Ogwa-Agbige, which is the community’s square for secular celebrations has been the ceremonial venue of the Okpekpe 10 Kilometres Road Race since its inception in 2013.

The source maintained that: “Whereas the venue which is too small to accommodate the large crowd at the prize presentation ceremony of the race is now what some developers are eager to encroach upon. This land belongs to the community and by extension, the Edo State Government.

“Immediately after this year’s road race, the Onweweko of Okpekpe, Peter Abalume Osigbemeh, is to be presented with a letter from the Commissioner of Sports banning developers from encroaching on the land. The letter will also criminalise further development on the land,” revealed the Government House source in Benin.

Meanwhile, pay tv channel, Supersport, which always precedes the road race will not hold in Okpekpe this year because the organisers want neighbouring Local Government Areas to have a feel of the race.

Over 2,000 school children will converge on Fugar, the headquarters of Etsako Central Local Government Area with Supersport beaming the race to them.

According to organizers of the race, the Chairman of the council, Hon. Emma Momoh, last year conveyed pupils from his LGA to Okpekpe for the Supersport and he is very SuperSport friendly.

There are plans by the organizers to keep rotating the Supersport leg of the race with the neighbouring LGAs before returning it to Okpekpe.