By Ayodele Abere
Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has appealed to well-meaning individuals of Ekiti origin and beyond, as well as private organisations to be receptive to present administration’s rapprochements and hands of fellowship in the quests to make Ekiti a microcosm of development in all spheres.
The Governor made the appeal on Wednesday during the grand opening and launching of Oluskismet Football Club Stadium in Ikere Kingdom, Ekiti State.
Oyebanji who spoke through the State Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon Gold Adesola Adedayo said he believes that the 1,500 capacity stadium facility will help in no small measure to promote grassroots sports development in the state.
According to Oyebanji, “with this facility in place, many hidden talents and opportunities will be unlocked in the sport sector, which will in turn benefit the state and buoy its ranking in sporting activities in Nigeria and Africa continent.
“We have that humble belief that we can’t do it alone, we desperately need the inputs of private individuals, organisations and multinational bodies to take Ekiti to that promised land.lThe state government is appreciative of the efforts of this Foundation in ensuring that Ekiti youth are empowered to be economically active to contribute to the growth of our economy.
“Besides sport development, this foundation owned by Prince Festus Olumide Adegboye, had made tremendous positive impacts in the lives of our citizens through empowerment programmes for the youth, aged, widows, sponsorship of sporting activities, presentation of cars to indigenes, scholarship scheme endowment, among others. The cumulative effects of the foregoing positive actions have helped in curtailing poverty, unemployment, crimes and other nefarious activities in our dear state.
While commending the spirit of patriotism that helped in driving the conceptualisation of the dream, Oyebanji also urged Ikere community and users of the facility to embrace high level of maintenance culture which according to him can only happen when they take full ownership of the facility that was intended to boost the capacities of young and productive population.
Speaking with journalists after the commissioning of the stadium, the minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, described the project as encouraging.
“I am very happy and I feel honoured to be invited to do the commissioning. What this man has done is to show everyone of us an example of social responsibility, an individual commitment to the community. He was born in Ikere-Ekiti and he has given back to the community. That’s what everyone of us should strive to do, to give back to our community”.
Alake noted that the stadium will not serve only Olumide Adegboye or Ikere community, but the entire Ekiti and Nigeria in general. He appealed to everyone present at the occasion to strive to do Same to their various communities for the overall development of the nation.
Earlier in her address, the guest speaker, Professor (Mrs) Florence Osalusi who was highly delighted to be part of the dignitaries at the commissioning of the magnificent edifice said sports contribute to the holistic development of communities and society at large.
The university don said in a community marked by division, that sports could offer a common ground where people of divergent opinions come together to work towards a shared goal as she highlighted the importance of sports to human life which includes; Physical Health, Mental Resilience, Social Skills, Leadership Development, Goal Setting and Achievements, Character Building as well as Community Engagement.
Professor Osalusi who noted that Sports and Youth development are deeply interconnected, said through collective efforts, profound difference could be made in the lives of countless young people.
She therefore congratulated the financier of the infrastructure, Adegboye, Ekiti youths and all the indegenes of Ikere-Ekiti for the great achievement.
The event was well graced by dignateries from far and near including the royal fathers.