Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State on Tuesday unveiled Osun Sports Festival. Speaking on behalf of the governor at a press conference in Osogbo, the state capital,
Osun Commissioner for Youths and Sports Festival, Mr Yemi Lawal revealed that the state had concluded plans to hold Osun Sports Festival(OSF), a 31-sporting-activity designed to positively channel the energy of youths in the state. The festival would also be used to identify budding talents with the aim of nurturing them to stardom.
Addressing a press conference at the state secretariat on to herald the sports festival, the Commissioner stressed that Governor Adegboyega Oyetola believed in the talents of Osun youths and saw a the need to channel their energy towards the development of the sports in the state.
Hon. Lawal said the sports festival which would feature about 31 sporting events would be taken round the state in a bid to discover and harvest new and budding talents so as to channel their energy towards positive use.
According to him, “It has been the focus of the present administration under the leadership of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to develop sports at the grassroots, the festival will be taken to all the nooks and crannies of the state.
“Because of our alliance with the National Youth Policy, the festival will give all youths between the age of 15 and 29 the opportunity to showcase their sports prowess and those that are identified will be trained and nurtured to national and international prominence.
“The festival will parade athletes in 31 sports which will include athletics, football, tennis, volleyball, boxing, weightlifting among others and it will be held in three phases of Local, Zonal and State. All local government areas will present at least 100 athletes at the festival which will climax by the last week of August.
In a welcome address, Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode said the present administration sees sports as a catalyst for development in the state.
Egbemode who was represented by the Coordinating Director, Ministry of Information and Civic Orientation, Bar. Mrs Bukola Aderibigbe said Governor Adegboyega Oyetola believes that the energy of the youths can be channeled through sports for the development of the state.
