Rivers State would have been one blessed state in the sport of swimming, if everything as plan by those that think well of the state. This is because of the sports instituted at Isiaka community. The school was originally established to train sailors, Rivers State being a deltaic inclined by retired commander King Alfred Diette Spiff.
But far from it initial original foundation; the school was converted to sports instituted where sportsmen and woman will be produced for Rivers people.
After many years, Rivers State is still begging for swimmers to represent the state in national competitions. It is too shameful that the school that was meant to produce seasoned swimmers could not boast of one swimming after many years down the line.
Unlike Delta State and Bayelsa State, which are deltaic in nature too, have keyed into their geographical advantage, and they are enjoying it seasonally in every national sports festival.
Apart from swimming, wrestling supposed to be another sport that Rivers State need not lack talent, because of the sports institute at Isiaka.
The Rivers man is a proud swimmer and wrestler in nature. All these are now history because we have taken to western culture.
The first professional wrestler in Nigeria is Rev. (Dr.) Sokari Soberekon from Buguma city in Asari-Toru Local Government Area. A true Rivers bred.
One is of the opinion that sports institute Isiaka would have saved Rivers people the embarrassment in any national sports festival by producing a seasoned all time swimmer that would stand the test of time.
But the reverse is the case here, hence, Rivers people are tempted by asking the school authority, where are the swimmers you have produced for the state.
A stitch in time they say saves nine, where the school is not producing sports talents, particularly swimmers and wrestlers, it should be reversed to it former format, sea school Isiaka to serve it former purpose when it was sea school Isiaka, it produced Rivers sailors and lots of Rivers and non-indigenes benefitted from that arrangement. ###
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