How annual race has impacted us -Okpekpe Community

Okpekpe Road Race June 4, 2019 Blog, Event, News

The lonely and quiet Okpekpe community came alive on Saturday, May 25, as athletes from across the globe converged on it to participate in the seventh edition of the 10-kilometre road race. Natives put everything on hold to witness the event which is described as another Christmas season celebration.

The people were in joyful mood while the old who could not walk to the venue sat in their verandas to catch a glimpse of the athletes running for their money or for the fun of it.

However, for the celebration to be more impressive, Apa Peter Osigbemeh, Onwueweko of Okpekpe Kingdom, advocated a mini stadium to be built in the community to enable the youths in the area to practice ahead of the yearly event.

“This event is great, the weather is fair to us and we are all happy. It is a great occasion. I think there is an improvement year-by-year but we have not got there yet. We still need more improvement, especially if we can get a permanent site for the event.

“We’re hoping that there will be a permanent site for the event so that when visitors come to Okpekpe, they can also visit the place and see.

Everything here is of temporary arrangement but if we can have a mini stadium, it will encourage the Okpekpe youths to practice ahead of the event”, he said.

Chief Jekpe Joseph, Eshiozokhe of Okpekpe Kingdom, said the yearly event has tremendously improved the socio-economic life of the people of the community.

“The event has affected the Okpekpe community both economically and otherwise. Business people sell their foods and it has really improved the social economic status of the town of Okpekpe and we are very happy,” he said.