Following his consistent contributions towards the development of sports in the South-Western States in particular and Nigeria as a whole, the federal Ministry of Youths and Sports, South-West Zone has presented the award of Sports Ambassador (South West Zone) to Chief Dotun Sanusi the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort.
The award which is a recognition of Chief Sanusi’s unparalleled gestures towards the uplift of sports in Nigeria in general and South-West in particular was presented on Friday evening by the Chairman, Oyo State’s Sports Council, Mr Gbenga Adewusi Arole.
Presenting the award of Pillar of Sport to Chief Sanusi shortly after the conclusion of South-West Ball-Games Zonal Elimination for 6th National Youths Game held at Ilaji Resort to Chief Sanusi, Hon. Adewisi lauded the Ilaji Resort boss over his consistent contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria which according to him has led to the discovery of hidden talents in the country.
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Earlier in his address, Dr. Ademola Are, former Director Grassroot Development, Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports remarked that, Mr. Sunday Dare, the Honourable Minister for Youths and Sports Development, had first recongnised the immense contributions of Chief Sanusi towards sports development in Oyo State and Nigeria at large when he paid an unscheduled visit to Chief Sanusi’s multi billion naira sporting facility, Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort last year.
According to Dr. Are, it was there and then that Mr. Dare ordered that the Ministry should ensure that its sporting activities are always held at the Resort.
In his words, the Zonal Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports (South-West), Mr. Femi Ajao declared that the award of Pillar of Sports in South-West presented to Chief Sanusi is a perfect response from the sporting community to Chief Sanusi’s unflinching supports to grassroot sports.
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The top brass of sports from Osun, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo, the host state, unanimously spoke in unison during the Gala night held in honour of Chief Sanusi at Olugbade Hall of Ilaji Resort that the choice of Chief Sanusi as the Pillar of Sports in the South West is a right one.
In his acceptance of the award, Chief Sanisi decried the deplorable state of sporting infrastructure in Nigeria saying that unless each and every one of us agree to fix no foreign government would fix it for us.
Chief Sanusi while reminiscing the good old days of the country attributing our present woes to selfishness, lack of integrity and honesty.
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He therefore declared that the message Ilaji Resort is passing to everyone is that you don’t need to have a large volume of money nor do you need to be a political office holder before you can make an impact on the lives of the people.
