The Vice chairman of Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C) Oyo State Chapter, Honorable Taofik Babatunde Arowolo has revealed that the best way to curb the issue of restive youth in Ibadan and Oyo State in general is to engage them in what will occupy them and keep them out of trouble.
Speaking at the just concluded one-day boxing tournament tagged Ija Ibadan, organised by Dcolossus Boxing Promotions at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Hon. Arowolo popularly called Bako by his many admirers, said if the government and the wealthy people in the society can get the youth active with what can give them money like boxing and other sports, youth-induced violence like the menace of ‘Area boys’ will be a thing of the past in the state.
“I’m happy with what the likes of Oshinmi Ezekiel, CEO of Dcolossus and other boxing promoters are doing in Oyo State by promoting Boxing among the youth as you can see today. To the best of my knowledge, this will reduce hooliganism and the era of ‘Area boys’ in the state.
“Some restive youth in the communities who are here today will now see that instead of using their power and strength to cause mayhem in the society, they can use it to make money and name for themselves in the world of boxing because people now know that there is big money in boxing,” Hon. Arowolo said.
Speaking further, Hon. Arowolo said Ibadan elders and the Ibadan council of Mogajis have already devised a plan to curb the restive youth of the state by getting set to start a kind of youth boxing league that will occupy them and take their minds off crime and trouble.
“The Mogajis met at Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort last month to design a way out to curb the problem of unrest in the state especially in Ibadan that usually lead to mayhem and have resulted to start a Boxing tournament that will be in a League form in Ibadan and environs, to keep all the boys busy so that they will not have time to foment trouble in the society and their future will be bright,” he added.
Hon. Arowolo, who is also a former boxer, however, praised the organiser and other boxing promoters in the state for what they have been doing and he advised them not to relent in their efforts to take the youth out of crime in the state.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
