Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde has said that his administration is developing sports to productively engage  youths in the state.

He disclosed this  at the presentation of awards and certificates to the winners of  the Oyo State 2021 Junior Golf Competition, to conclude a weeklong Golf Clinic organised for kids and teenagers by the Oyo State Ministry of youth and sports.

He noted that the state has been creating platforms for youths to channel their energies to sports.

Governor Makinde also used the occasion to celebrate the achievement of the state, which placed 6th on the medal table of the just concluded National Sports Festival (Edo 2020) with 103 medals, commending the state’s athletes.

He also  charged the Sports Ministry to ensure that the contingent comes back with 100 Gold medals in the 2022 Festival slated for Delta State.

According to him, the state will put everything in place to further develop sports, adding that his administration has embarked on the upgrade of sporting facilities across the state in order to attract talents and to ensure that there is a programme for every child, even those who could not afford golf kits.

He added that the  administration will not relent in repositioning the development of sports in the state.

He said: “Sports development is a way that we think we can engage the youths in Oyo State and that is why we are doing everything possible to  ensure that our sporting facilities are upgraded and will attract talents to those facilities.  Already, we can see the return on the investments we have made in sports.

“The Commissioner for Youth and Sports said that at the Nation Sports Festival, Edo 2020, Oyo State won 31 gold medals. We are just one gold medal behind Lagos, which used to be the leader in Nigeria, with Delta, Edo, Bayelsa and Rivers now ahead.

“What I noticed was that Bayelsa won a lot of medals in swimming and I called the contractor handling Adamasingba yesterday (Friday) and I said to him that he must hasten and give us an Olympic-size swimming pool at Adamasingba. So, Oyo State will compete favorably in swimming in the next National Sports Festival.

“Yes, we have made some improvements. In the last sports festival held in 2016, we were number 8. In this one(2020) we came out number 6. We won 18 gold medals in the previous one and in this one, we won 31. So, our target for the next sports festival is a minimum of 100 gold medals and that is going to happen within the tenure of this administration.”

Earlier, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr. Seun Fakorede, appreciated the governor for supporting sports activities in the state.

“I also want to appreciate the governor for the wonderful support he is giving to the youths in the state, especially along the line of sports development. Never in the history of the state has it ever been like this. It is really a great one for us and we are privileged that, in our time, we have a governor who is responsible and responsive.

“In addition to the on-going renovation of Lekan Salami Sport Complex, we have at least six stadia in the state, one in each geopolitical zone. This has never happened before. We believe in grassroots sport development and we look forward to seeing our young ones grow beautifully.”

The Premier League’s official Hall of Fame will commence today

The first two inductees will be announced on Monday alongside a shortlist of additional nominees which fans will be able to vote for future inclusion.

The event was set to launch in February 2020 but was disrupted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hall of Fame will recognise and celebrate the exceptional skill and talent of those who have graced the Premier League since its inception in 1992.

To be qualified  for the Premier League Hall of Fame this year, players must have been retired as of August 2020 and only a player’s Premier League career is considered in his candidacy.

 “Since 1992, the Premier League has been home to world-class players who have defined generations and provided us with compelling football season after season,” said Richard Masters[Premier League C.E.O].

“A place in the Premier League Hall of Fame is reserved for the very best. It will be an occasion for our fans around the world to look back over the years and help us celebrate some truly exceptional playing careers.”

Each inductee will receive a personalised medallion, engraved with the year of their induction.

Three of the  four Lagos  pugilists are through to the final of boxing event at the ongoing National Sports Festival, NSF, tagged Edo 2020.

Oraekwe Blessing, in the sixty-nine kilogramme category , defeated Oben Blessing of Imo State, by a technical knock out, as the referee stopped contest in round three, in the semi final bout.

Fatimo Aromokola of Lagos State, who before her fight against Toyin Adejumola of Edo State, was scared of her opponent, regained her confidence immediately she got inside the ring as she displayed a pleasant skills to.the admiration of fans and the referees who scored four point as against Toyin who had a point.

Speaking on her victory, Aromokola, said she was pretty happy to have recorded an outstanding Victor against a tough and skillful boxer who many believed would disgraceher based on her exploit at the 2019 Morocco All Africa Games.

Aromokola, who won a gold medal at the 2018 National Sports Festival, held in Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, said her coach, Waheed Shobaloju, told her to always lauch an attack against Adejumola, a tactics, she explained worked for her, adding that she was ready to fight Toyin Adejumola at any major national fight based on the victory.

Olamide Mustapha of Lagos State lost to Alade Oluwatobi of Ekiti State, in the sixty kilogramme category.

But, Francis Gabriel, an established pugilist of many laurels, completed the number as he overwhelmed Kelvin Kpuluzu of Edo State by four points to one in an interesting bout which litted Oba Akenzua Cultural Center, Benin, Edo State.

Godwin Emefiele,the  Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has urged  parents to use  the opportunity being offered by apex bank by encouraging their children to start tennis at early stage.

He gave the advice  at the closing ceremony of the 2021 Central Bank of Nigeria Junior Tennis Championship in Lagos .

 Emefiele,who was represented by acting Director, Corporate Communication of CBN, Osita Nwamsobi, described the championship as the timely platform for Nigerians to achieve lofty desires in tennis.

At the event which held at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan Lagos, Seun Ogunsakin 14,  won the Boys 14 and U-16 titles in one day to pocket the sum of N100,000 education grant.

 Ogunsakin defeated  Joshua Maxwell 9-0 in the U-16 boys category to emerge champion before stopping Ganiyu Mobarak 9-2 in the Boys 14 and under class to emerge double champion in two categories in one day. It was therefore not surprising that he was crowned the most outstanding male player of the championship.

His younger brother, Seyi Ogunsakin,was defeated  by Onyekachi Ogunjiofor who beat him 9-7 in the Boys U-12 category in a game that he was supposed to have won easily if not for several unforced errors. Murewa Egbeyemi defeated Malcolm Osaji 9-7 to claim the Boys U-10 crown.

In the girls category, Fego Ayetuoma  survived the threat from Ndidi Osaji who dragged her to the limits in the Girls U-12 game before she was subdued 9-7.

The Federal Government has promised  Nigerians of the speedy completion of the rehabilitation of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja and National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Sunday Dare,the Minister of Youth and Sports Development,  gave the promise in Abuja.

He said:“The on-going rehabilitation work at the Moshood Abiola national stadium in Abuja, undertaken by Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos courtesy of Chief Adebutu Kensington, will soon be completed.

“The Surulere Stadium was abandoned for so many years. We started by ejecting illegal occupants, cleared illegal structures to bring out the beauty of the edifice which is comparable to any top stadium in the world.”

“By the schedule of the contractors, the rehabilitation will be completed by June,’’ Dare said. The minister insists that the ‘adopt a pitch’ and ‘adopt an athlete’ initiatives were yielding results.

He spoke on the welfare of athletes, saying the ministry was working with relevant stakeholders and sports federations in order to  improve the welfare of Nigerian athletes.

“We muted the idea of setting up the athletes’ welfare fund, later changed to Sports Development Fund. We have spoken to the NFF and AFN to set up a welfare scheme to assist those who are in need of support.’’

Warri Wolves Football Club has sacked Evans Ogenyi as its Technical Adviser after it  played a goalless draw with sJigawa Golden Stars Football Club on Wednesday at home.

Its Assistant Coach, Paul Offor, will now be in charge of the club on interim basis pending the appointment of a new Technical Adviser,the club said on Thursday

 Mr. Etu Moses,  Chief Executive Officer, Warri Wolves Football Club in a media chat, expressed disgust  the current status of the team in the league despite the management’s huge financial motivation of the side.

He added:”It’s  unfortunate that of all the teams, we played a goalless draw with Jigawa Golden Stars.It shows that something is wrong somewhere and action has to be taken. We have relieved Evans Ogenyi of his job as the team’s Technical Adviser.”

Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick has been  elected into the FIFA Council at the Confederation of African Football’s 43rd General Assembly in Rabat, Morocco.

Amaju got  a seat in the FIFA Council due to  withdrawals from the race by contestants prior to the election. Gambian Lamine Bajo, Nicholas Mwendwa of Kenya, Wallace Karia (Tanzania) and Andrew Kamanga (Zambia) all withdrew from the race leaving only Pinnick and incumbent Walter Nyamilandu in the race, which was expected to produce two winners.

He also becomes the fifth Vice-President of CAF.

Other CAF vice presidents are Augustin Senghor (first Vice- President), Ahmed Yahya (second Vice- President), Souleiman Waberi (third Vice- President) and Fouzi Lekjaa (fourth Vice- President).