Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has harped on the importance of activating the youths through sports engagement for higher responsibility of nation-building.
Governor Makinde made this assertion on Friday during the finals of the maiden edition of the Basic Education Schools Sports (BESS) held at the Olubadan Stadium in Ibadan, the state capital.
Represented at the event by Prof. Abdulwaheed Adelabu, the State Commissioner for Education, Governor Makinde described youths as a mobile segment of the country’s population.
“Nigerian youths are the building blocks that must be nurtured through sports to acquire the requisite resilience to endure the pressure and strain of a competitive world.
“My administration is committed to the development of sports and has resolved to boost youths participation in grassroots sports,” he said.
Makinde stressed the goal of the competition’s in developing the pupils’ skills and fish out new talents among them at the grassroots.
This, he noted, will enable them to represent the state at national and international competitions.
The governor then lauded the efforts of the organisers in working towards actualising the vision of his administration.
The Executive Secretary, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr Jacob Dairo, said participants were drawn from public primary schools in all the 33 local government areas of the state.
Dairo pointed out the positive roles sports play in advancing national unity and ensuring that basic education pupils are dissuaded from partaking in anti-social activities.
“The present administration in the state has done a lot to massively encourage grassroots sports through SUBEB and via remarkable achievements in sports activities,” he said.
At the end of the tournament, St. Brigids Primary School, Mokola in Ibadan and Anglican Primary School, Igbomara in Iseyin both scaled to the finals after which the Iseyin team defeated St. Brigids Primary School through 5-3 penalty after a goalless 90 minutes play.
