AIYEDATIWA REITERATES COMMITMENT TO SPORTS DEVELOPMENT AT GRASSROOTS
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AIYEDATIWA REITERATES COMMITMENT TO SPORTS DEVELOPMENT AT GRASSROOTS
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has reaffirmed his administration commitment to continue to give necessary support for sports development, especially at the grassroots level, in order to catch them young.
The Governor made the promise at the formal presentation of the overall trophy and medals won by the Ondo Team, who came first out of the 36 states and the FCT at the just-concluded maiden edition of the Basic Education School Sports (BESS) Competition in Abuja, presented by the Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Hon. Laolu Akindolire, at the Government House Grounds.
Aiyedatiwa, who poured encomiums on the award-winning team, describes them as “lucky boys and girls,” and good ambassadors of the state even at this level.
According to him like all other deeds, this feat by the pupils will be written in history books, that, in 2024, a particular group of pupils made the state proud by winning the maiden edition of the BESS Competition in Nigeria.
The Governor, who couldn’t hide his joy at the performance of the pupils at the national level, which he described as part of the trajectory of the aura his name carries, commended the trainers and management of the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (ODSUBEB) under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan for their contributions towards the success of the team.
Aiyedatiwa who underscored the importance of sporting activities in the development of a child, enjoined teachers and administrators in the education sector to devote quality time to both cognitive and psychomotor aspects of child development for holistic development.
He promised that, at an appropriate time, the state government would do the needful to appreciate the award-winning team and their handlers for making the state proud.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Akindolire, attributed the outstanding feat achieved by the pupils to the conducive environment provided by the Ondo State Government. He commended the Governor for his passion for all-round development of the state, especially the education sector, adding that such commitments have continued to manifest positively in the development of the sector and the performance of students.
In a similar vein, the ODSUBEB boss, Olabimtan, who had earlier led the management of the Board, the award-winning team, and their handlers to the office of the Hon. Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology to formally present the trophy and medals to him, said the team had earlier made the state proud by coming first at the South-West Regional version of the same competition in Ado-Ekiti earlier in the year.
An overwhelmed Olabimtan told the Governor that none of the pupils presented for any of the games in the competition was disqualified on account of age cheating, as was the case with several states, showing that this performance was well-deserved and not a fluke.
He used the opportunity to thank the Governor for his many supports for the development of the basic education sector in the state, the payment of the Board’s matching grants on time to access the 2024 UBEC Fund, and the money used to prepare the athletes for the championship.
According to Olabimtan, without this money, the feat recorded by the team may not have been possible.
The team won 31 medals altogether, comprising nine gold, 15 silver, and seven bronze medals.
The high point of the event was the presentation of the overall trophy and medals won by the team to the Governor by the Commissioner for Education, Akindolire, and a group photography session with the Ondo Team, their handlers, and parents.
Present at the event were the State Chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin; Full-Time Members 1 and 2 of ODSUBEB, Princess Olufunmilayo-Brown and Dr. Olarenwaju Oyelade, respectively; Permanent Secretary, Chief Dele Akinnagbe; Directors; and some parents of the pupils.
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