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Organiser of the maiden 2021 Festac 10 km Half Marathon Moses Nwanse has disclosed what inspired him to come up with the idea of the race.
Nwanze stated this during Friday’s media conference at Tatiana Hotel, Festac Town.
Among those present at the media conference were Chief of Staff of Chairman Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Engineer Valentine Buraimoh, DPO Festac Town, CSP Balogun and president Festac Residents Association, Shola Fakorede.
The Festac Half Marathon is an initiative and corporate material of Lexicon Communications Limited and is proposed to be an annual event open to both male and female and open to participants in Nigeria.
The race which is slated to hold in October 2nd, has a cash prize of #2million in the male and female categories.
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And speaking in Friday’s press conference at Tatiana Hotel, Festac Town, Nwanze said:”I grew up in Festac since 1977, I got married 17 years ago then I move out of Festac to Lekki. But ever since I left Festac I always found myself in Festac. I have always been tempted to come back to Festac, my family would not understand why am I always coming to Festac.
“Festac is a community that people who grew up have lived as one, it’s a strong bond and there is a very strong affinity. So I have always thought of being the chairman of Festac Town not Amuwo Odofin, just Festac Town alone because there is so much in my mind that I want to do, that I love to do for this community but within what I can do, by the grace of God I thought of the Festac Marathon as an idea, a concept that can rejuvenate Festac Town, re-energize the community and also further project Festac Town to the world as a community with a strong socio-cultural value.
“This town in 1977 hosted the world festival. All the black community over the world stayed in Festac and that event was global and we want to maintain that status-quo.
“It’s been a very long time, since 44 years ago. But 44 years down the line Festac has still lived as a community so it’s time for us to re-project who we are and also remind people that a lot of super stars emanated from Festac. In sport in entertainment. The likes of Emmanuel Amuneke in entertainment we have Tuface and the rest of them. Festac Town has the glory and this is another opportunity for us to begin to discover new talents.”
Nwanze added:”The Festac Marathon is not an event that is restricted to Festac Town residents alone, we have registrations, people who have registered from Jos. I receive calls from Jos, from Kano, Benin, so many people have called to say they are coming to Festac to come and win the prize money which is two million naira.
“So we want to run the race in two categories, male and female. The grand prize for the first winners in each category is #500,000, second prize is #300,000 and #200,000 for the third position, that sums up for both male and female.”
