Ex-Commissioner, Oke, hails Oyo medallists at Birmingham 2022

FORMER Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development in Oyo State, Mr Abayomi Oke, has commended the three weightlifters from Oyo State, Folashade Lawal, Taiwo Liadi and Taiwo Mary Osijo, who won medals at the just-concluded 2022 Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom. 

Oke, while congratulating the trio stated that they have made Oyo State and Nigeria proud with their exploits at Birmingham 2022, adding that they brought joy to Nigerians in the face of adversity bedevilling the country.

He also lauded the ‘catch them-young’ initiative of the late Ajimobi administration, saying the programme has yielded results as evident in the feats of the three weightlifters from Oyo State at Birmingham 2022 as the initiative brought the athletes to limelight.

“I am particularly delighted that the investment of the Ajimobi administration in sports a few years ago in the form of the‘catch-them-young’ by focusing on sports at the grassroots level is yielding tremendous results,” Oke said.

He urged the Makinde administration to sustain the initiatives such as the ‘catch-them-young’ given the benefits inherent in it.

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“I implore the current administration in the state to in the spirit of continuity maintain projects such as this ‘catch them-young’, it has proven to be result-oriented as seen in the Commonwealth Games medallists we are celebrating today,” Oke said.

While commending other Team Nigeria’s medallists at the just-ended Birmingham 2022, Oke noted that they have written their names in the sands of time, and it’s a proof that Nigeria will be great again.

Recall Folashade Lawal won a gold medal in the women’s 59kg weightlifting at the just-ended Commonwealth Gamesas Taiwo Liadi won a silver in the women’s 76kg category while Taiwo Osijo claimed a bronze medal in the women’s 87kg category.