By Sulyman AbdulSomad
Sports has been identified as the means of reducing or eradicating insecurity in the society, through having deliberate and objective investment that encourages genuine identification of talents, coupled with right mentorship and empowerment.
The Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) Chairman of Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State, Hon. (Engr) Tunde Fadipe, while speaking at the closing ceremony of Isin Local Government Schools Table Tennis Championship in the headquarters of the Local Government Area, Owu-Isin on Tuesday November 7th, 2023 equally added that sports is the only way towards solving unemployment problems in the country.
According to him, “one of the means to reduce insecurity in our society is by having good investment in sports. It’s also the only way to solve unemployment problems in Nigeria, and this is by developing and empowering all sporting institutions, construction of facilities and provision of equipment and.encouragement of participation”, he stressed.
While commending the state government and the Isin Traditional Council for their support, Engr Fadipe applauded the organisers of the competition, adding that the initiative has boosted the bid to continue to assess athletes directly from the grassroots.
“Sports is.no doubt, a tool for national development. I will want to thank the organisers for broadening the platforms from which we pick athletes at the grassroots. We will continue to partner with relevant stakeholders towards the uplift of youth and sports in our area”.
He charged the organisers to make the competition a yearly even, and to expand it to other events like traditional sports, even as he said that his administration will improve on the existing sporting facilities, and create the needed platform towards having more.
He donated sets of table tennis boards to the schools, with the charge to make judicious use of the facilities to discover and groom more athletes ahead of the Kwara First Lady table tennis championship.
The Chairman of Isin Traditional Council, Oba (Dr) Solomon Olugbenga Oloyede Jp, the Olusin of Isanlu-Isin, while thanking the organisers for promoting unity and togetherness through the initiative described sports as a unifying factor.
Oba Oloyede, who was represented by the Oniwo of Iwo, Oba (Arch) J. T. Olutade called for the sustainance of the competition.
The Pillar of Sports in Isin Local Government Area, Hon. Chief Olu Adewara averred that sports is important, and cannot be separated from human life and activities. He said that sports is an integral part of education.
The Education Secretary of Isin Local Government Area, High Chief Lere Balogun charged parents to encourage and support their wards to do sports, in view of its all-round importance. He commended the state government and the Council for providing the needed enabling atmosphere for sports in the area.
Earlier in his address, the Sports Director, Seyi Oyinloye appealed to the state government, the traditional council and the Local Government to keep supporting the development and empowerment of youth through sports. He commended the Schools’ Sports Officers and others for their support towards the success of the programme.
About 144 pupils and students from 16 Primary Schools, 10 Junior Secondary Schools and 10 Senior Secondary Schools participated in the competition in the Local Government.
In the Girls category, Adeniran Aanu of Saint Andrews Primary School came first, while Odeni Audu and Victory Josiah of Muslim Community Primary School, Edidi, and Community Primary School, Eleyin respectively, came second and third.
Ajiboye Abdulrasheed of ECWA Primary School, Oke-Aba won the first position for Prinary Schools’ Boys event. Popoola Kudus of Muslim Community Primary School, Edidi came second.
In the Junior Secondary Schools Boys category, Yahaya Jamiu of Iwo Comprehensive High School, Iwo, Abubakar of Isalu-Isin Comprehensive College, Isanlu-Isin and Ajiboye Roqeeb of Community Secondary School, Oke-Aba won the first, second and third prizes in that order.
For the Girls, Oluwatolase Abigail of Iwo Comprehensive High School, Iwo came first, with Mariam Abdulraheem of Community Science and Technical College (CSTC), Pamo-Isin and Owolabi Tijesumi of ICSS, Egi-Owu coming second and third respectively.
In the Senior Secondary Schools cadre, Torkpa Goodness of Iwo Comprehensive Hugh School, Iwo came first in the Boys category, while Ajiboye Amidat of JNISS. Owu-Isin came first in the Girls category.
Bamigbola Stephen of ICSS, Egi-Owu and Sulyman Abdulkadir came second and third in the Boys competition, while Ajiboye Eunice of Community Secondary School, Iji-Isin and Olajide Oluwatoyin of Community Secondary School, Oba-Isin won the second and third place prizes in the Girls competition.
Oluwatolase Abigail of Iwo Comprehensive High School was adjudged as the Best Athlete of the tournament, and offered a term scholarship by the organisers, while the winners of the Girls and Boys events in the Senior Secondary Schools’ cadre, Ajiboye Amidat and Torkpa Goodness were also given a term scholarship each, by the Pillar of Sports in Isin Local Government Area, Hon. Chief Olu Adewara.
Among other traditional rulers present at the colourful ceremony are the Onigbin of Oke-Onigbin, Oba (Alhaji) Kamaldeen Salaudeen, Oloba of Oba-Isin, Oba (Dr) Timothy Oyebanji Jp, and the Oniwo of Iwo Odo-Ore, Oba (Alhaji) AbdulMaruf Oyerinde.
