Edo: We Are Not Renaming Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium

Edo State Government has said unequivocally that there is no intention to rename the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.

A statement from the Chief Press Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Comrade Ebomhiana Musa said yesterday that the name “Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium” remains because it is named after the revered late Dr Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia because of his unparallel contributions to sports development in the old Bendel State.

He added that it will be a disservice for any government to contemplate changing the name.

According to him, this clarification becomes necessary as some traditional and social media platforms misquoted the state’s Deputy Governor, Right Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu in a live interview granted the Channels Television on Thursday night.

In the euphoria following the promotion of Bendel Insurance Football Club to the elite division of Nigerian Professional Football League ( NPFL) after over a decade in the lower cadre, the deputy governor said the “Samuel Ogbemdia Stadium will be named the Home of Bendel Insurance FC.”

This was misinterpreted to mean that the legendary Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium will be renamed “Bendel Insurance Football Club Stadium.”

Musa stressed that the present administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki is determined to return the lost glory of Edo State in sports development. “Basically, this is in line with the vision and mission of the late Samuel Ogbemudia for Edo State,” concludes the statement from the Deputy Governor’s office.