Former captain of Port Harcourt Club 1928 Tennis section, Sir Ernest Elochukwu has suggested that the Rivers State government should take over Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry’s tennis academy for sponsorship in order not to allow Academy go into extinction.
Tonye Harry till his demise has been the sole sponsor of the famous result oriented tennis academy.
Speaking with The Newswriter sports via phone, Sir. Elochukwu said apart from whatever the Rivers State government will do to his personality the government should not forget to immortalize Tonye Harry by naming the academy after him.
The Tennis enthusiast also described how he felt when he heard the news of the death of Tonye Harry, who is his own tennis contemporary in Port Harcourt club 1928 tennis section.
He said he was shocked, being that he had earlier played tennis in the club which he Tonye Harry was also present on that Independence Day celebration.
He prayed God to give the family of Tonye Harry the strength to bear this irreparable loss but offered that they should take solace in God owning that Harry lived a positive life in affecting the ;lives of others, apart from playing tennis. He rose up to the level of a national hero, in the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF). He was the first vice president of NTF till his death.
He eulogized Tonye Harry, stating that the late Tonye Harry is an icon, a gentle man par excellent that had contributed to many lives across the society.
Sir. Elochukwu said, the tennis family has lost a great man in Tonye Harry as his death has open a vacuum so difficult to fill by those he had left behind.
He concluded by saying he had left a legacy worthy of emulation and commendation. ###
