Senator Liyel Imoke is soaking in a rare kind of pride, the kind that comes from seeing a vision come full circle.
While others cheer from the sidelines, Imoke stands tall as the man whose sports development initiative launched during his time as governor of Cross River State from 2009 to 2015 unearthed a talent now rewriting history.
That talent is Patience Okon George.
At the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State, George didn’t just win, she set the only outstanding record of the entire event.
On his verified social media handle, Imoke noted, “It gave me a lot of joy to see a product of my 2009-2015 sports development programme in Cross River State win and set the only record so far at the National Sports Festival held in Abeokuta in the women’s 400-meter race.”
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He described George as the embodiment of discipline and drive, calling her a perfect example of what consistent effort can produce.
Imoke didn’t hold back his admiration. “The record is more impressive because there was no real competition. She ran her own race in front and paced herself into the record books.”
Cross River’s overall showing in Abeokuta, when stacked against past performances, speaks volumes.
The numbers suggest a comeback. But for Imoke, George’s win isn’t just a medal moment, it’s proof that long-term investment in people pays off.