By Solomon Odeniyi
An Osun-based group, Noble Actor Global Resources Limited says it will be collaborating with the Department of Sport and Ministry of Social Protection, Sports and Special Need in Osun to organise the first ever Sports Festival in the state.
The festival, a 15-day event is billed to hold between 5th and 19th of October, 2018.
According to the convener, Taofik Lawal, the Osun Sport Festival would be chaired by former Super Eagles coach and FIFA instructor, Chief Adegboyega Onigbinde, noting that the festival would engage the entire local government areas of the state in the over 15 sports including the traditional sports.
He noted that the event was necessitated by their understanding of sports as an inestimable tool of unity and a veritable means by which to engage young people with elaborate sporting talents.
Lawal added that over the past years, sporting event of this dimension has proven to be more than necessary as new talents who are not yet discovered in the agrarian settlement in the state would be unveiled.
He however, stated that the absence of private sector participation in sports in the state has served as a clog in the wheel in reviving active sports in the state, urging private organisations to invest heavily in sports as they stand to gain a lot helping to build a formidable sporting tradition in the state.
He said: “There is a lot the private stand to benefit apart from the moral task of social/corporate responsibility. The development of the European League is a clear example of what both community and private sector stand to benefit. The idealistic fulfillment that comes with helping to expose raw talents to the cheering eyes of millions of viewers worldwide and innumerable talent scout also comes with the benefit of endearing the product of the partnering corporate bodies into the hearts of millions of viewers in the world.’’
The Commissioner of Social Protection, Sports and Special Need, Mr Biyi Odunlade, who was represented by Gbenga Olanrewaju, appreciated the group for partnering in sport development in the state, saying more of this event would help engage the youths, which would help sustain the peace witnessed in the state as well as stimulate unity among the populace in the state.
He added that events of this nature would provide an opportunity to scout for new talents waiting to be discovered, assuring the group the best among the athletes discovered will be trained and prepared for the national sports festival in November and believed they would make the state proud just like Mujidat and her counterpart in Commonwealth games.
