The Chairman, Committee on Youth and Sport in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Fola Sunday Oyekunle has given assurance to work with necessary stakeholders to radically reform the sports sector in the state.
Hon. Oyekunle gave the assurance while reacting to the present situation of sports in the state, particularly how it affected the number one sports club in the state, Shooting Stars Football Club to secure promotion ticket back to the Premier League.
The lawmaker expressed disappointment over the failure of the management to take the advantage at their disposal to return the club to the elite division this year.
The Chairman attributed the failure to the nonchalant attitude of the immediate past government towards the development of sport, not only football in the state.
Hon. Oyekunle stated that though his committee has just been inaugurated, he said it would as soon as possible engage all relevant stakeholders in a meeting and discuss how to move sport in the state to the next level.
“As you know that our committee has just been put in place, as soon as possible, we are going to call a meeting as part of our oversight functions, we believe that the ministry has failed not only in football, but in all aspects of sports in Oyo State.
“So, we have to take critical look at the activities of the state Ministry of Youth and Sport to know what is going on. We will invite all the necessary stakeholders to the meeting, after that, we will give our recommendations.”
It will be recalled that the Shooting Star’s General Manager, Rashidi Balogun, Team Manager, Dimeji Lawal and Head Coach, Edith Agoye – all resigned their positions due to their inability to return the club to the Premier League after the club suffered heavy defeat in the hands of Akwa Starlet by three goals to nothing in the play off.
It was this development that led to the three hour-emergency stakeholders’ meeting organized by the Oyo State Ministry of Youth and Sport on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2019 to restrategise on the future of 3SC.
The meeting which was presided over by the Acting Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Olubisi Olagoke had in attendance representatives from Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan, Oyo State Sports Council, Oyo State Football Association and other major football stakeholders in the state.
Mrs. Adegoke, at the meeting assured all supporters of 3SC both at home and in diaspora that the state government would rekindle the confidence they have in the Club. She added that all the recommendations have been forwarded to the governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde for approval.
Hon. Fola Oyekunle, who, in his desire to promote sport and his effort to ensure that talents are discovered from the grassroots, has included in the activities lined up to mark his one hundred days in office, a football competition for youths within his constituency.
By Kunle Gazali
