The founder and spiritual head of Shafaudeen In Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabit Olagoke Ariyo has charged governments at all levels, parents and guardians to engage youths and school children in sporting activities in order to prevent them from getting involved in anti-social vices which can lead to insecurity.
Olagoke gave the admonition during the annual Inter- House Sports of Shafaudeen Groups of Schools held at Christ Church Primary School, Wakajaye, Ibadan.
The renowned professor disclosed that in order to combat crime in the society and reduce the level of insecurity in the country, there is a need to revisit and restore recreational centers by making sporting equipment available and accessible to youths and school children.
According to Prof. Olagoke, “In those days it was through inter school sports that talents were discovered and developed, we should revisit as I am doing.
“Schooling activities without sports is incomplete. Governments need to incorporate sports back – all they need is good advisers and representatives in executing the projects, they have all it takes to do it. In every school we must make sure that sport takes a vital position in engaging and disallowing students from going into anti- societal activities.
“Our recreational centers need to be revisited so that we can meaningfully engage those youths; there should be a recreational center in each ward with sports equipment that will be accessible. Nigerian youths need to be meaningfully engaged to avert security issues.
“Youths in their adolescent stage, which is their prime time, have enormous power and if they are not meaningfully engaged will divert that power and strength to something else and that is why we are having problems in this country now,” Prof. Sabit said.
Meanwhile, in the final results of the annual Inter-House Sports, Green (Shafaudeen) House emerged the winner of this year’s edition with total points of 132, while Blue (Olagoke) House came second with total points of 118.
White (Rosool) House and Purple (Grand Ameerah) House came third and fourth with 96 and 90 points respectively.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
