A mini sports festival is being put together in Oyo State for children to showcase their sports talents.
The brains behind the competition are the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Oyo State chapter with the State Athletics Association under the leadership of Dr Isaac Friday Ogada and his sports promotion outfit JERONA International Sports.
The competition, which is strictly for kids under the age of 13 and Junior Secondary School pupils, will feature football and athletics.
In an exclusive chat, the Chairman of the State Athletics Association, who is also the initiator of the programme, Dr Isaac Friday Ogada explained that the competition is aimed at fishing out budding talents and prepare them for future development.
“It’s a catch them young programme which is aimed at discovering future athletes who will represent the state and the country in national and international competitions”, Dr Ogada said.
He added that the competition is going to be an elaborate platform for corporate bodies to exercise their corporate social responsibilities (CSR).
Towards the realization of this, the leadership of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria in the state has constituted a twelve man Committee to organize the competition.
According to the Chairman of Oyo SWAN, Mr Niyi Alebiosu, the Organizing Committee is to be headed by the Secretary of the Association, Mr Adewale Tijani, while the Committee’s Secretary is Mr Tolulope Raymond from Noble FM Ibadan.
The Committee also include the General Manager of Fresh FM Abeokuta, who remains an active member of Oyo SWAN, Mr Samson Akindele as well as the SWAN Vice President (South West) Mr Femi Amusan of Raypower/AIT, Mr Dapo Okunubi of Solutions FM Ibadan, Mr Abass Ishola (Solutions FM), Mr Afeez Afolabi (Impact Business Radio Ibadan), with Ola Olanrewaju of the Ibadan Media, a celebrity magazine.
Others members of the Committee are Miss Blessing Fowowe of Splash FM, Mr Obadare Oladosu (Pensioners FM Ibadan), Mr Ademola Olamilekan (I-Flier FM) and Mr Robinson Ayodele, a versatile engineer who combines sports administration with sports journalism.
Mr Alebiosu says:
“The Committee will work with a Consultant who is well versed and experienced in putting up sports competitions and other big events, Mrs Sharon Vincent of Respite Global Resources. This is to attract massive sponsorships and enabled a superb organisation of the Sport Fiesta”.
Shedding more light on the proposed Sports Fiesta, the Chairman of its Organising Committee, Mr Adewale Tijani said that pupils of private secondary schools in the state are expected to participate in the competition, which will be graced by football scouts, grassroot sports trainers and other talent hunters.
“Of course, the sports regulatory bodies such as the State Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youths and Sports, Oyo State Sports Council, Oyo State Football Association are going to be involved. The Committee will also planning to bring in the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Private Schools Games Association (PRISGA) and I flier, a private radio station in Ibadan”, Tijani said.
The competition is scheduled to hold between February 4 and February 23, 2023 at the University of Ibadan Sports Complex and the Lekan Salami stadium Adamasingba Ibadan.
