Adeyeye Promises To Uplift School Sports In Ekiti, Laments State's Non-Participation In Youth Games
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State and chieftain of Afenifere, Prince Dayo Adeyeye has promised to uplift school and youth sports in the State if he becomes the State governor next year, saying; "No society can develop beyond the intellectual and physical capabilities of its youths and any government that is not taking youth sports seriously is doing a great disservice to the society."
Adeyeye, who lamented the non participation of Ekiti State in the National School Sports Festival held in Ilorin, Kwara State last month and the National Youth Games, currently holding in Abuja, said it was worrisome that the State government that could afford to lavish N100 million to send over 30 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on a jamboree trip to South Africa refused to release fund for Ekiti youths to participate in sports festivals.
Speaking during a meeting with some stakeholders in the Sports sector in his Ise-Ekiti country home yesterday, Adeyeye said; "By the grace of God, the government that we will form in Ekiti State next year will be one that will not deny our youths and school children participation in sports competitions in and outside Nigeria."
He said; "any society that fails to support its youths in the area of sports is indirectly destroying the future of the society because sports in itself is now a big business that government must be interested in."
Speaking further; the governorship hopeful said; "It is on record that during the immediate past PDP government, Ekiti State was the best in the area of youth sports development. We produced 13 out of the 25 youth athletes that represented Nigeria at the World Junior Athletics Championship in Poland.
"PDP government that I was part of then sponsored the 13 youth athletes to Poland. But we now have a government in Ekiti that could not sponsor our youth athletes to participate in competition in nearby Ilorin.
"It is indeed shameful that we have a government that is more interested in sending its party youths to South Africa for tourism, rather than supporting youth sports so that Ekiti can produce another athletes like Kayode Oluyemi, Olusoji Fasuba and Damola Osayemi.
"However, let me promise our youths in Ekiti State that it is our resolve to give adequate attention to sports in Ekiti State, especially among our youths so that our State can also reap bountifully from the money spinning venture that sports have become."