Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state has reiterated his commitment to deploying sports development as a strategic policy tool for youth empowerment, crime reduction and talent discovery.
Aiyedatiwa, who stated this following the handover of three newly constructed games courts at the Ondo Township Stadium, said the state had formally embraced the expansion of sports infrastructure as a deliberate policy direction aimed at positively engaging young people and addressing social challenges
Represented by the State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Omoyofunmi Henry, Aiyedatiwa said investment in safe and functional sports facilities remains critical to harnessing youthful energy productively, instilling discipline and promoting social cohesion across communities.
He added that grassroots sports programmes provide a viable pathway for identifying and nurturing talents capable of competing at national and international levels.
The governor described the donation of basketball, volleyball and lawn tennis courts by US-based philanthropist, Chief Afolami Victor Awosika, as a model of effective public-private partnership that aligns with the state’s broader youth development agenda.
He assured that the government would ensure the proper management, maintenance and optimal utilisation of the facilities to deliver sustainable benefits for young people and sports enthusiasts.
In his remarks, Chief Awosika said the project was designed to complement government and traditional efforts at youth engagement, noting that sports remain a powerful platform for character building, discipline and leadership development.
According to him, “the facilities are designed to harness youthful energy productively, nurture talents and align with the Osemawe’s vision of using sports as a tool to curb cultism, youth restiveness and other social vices, while also creating opportunities to discover athletes with global potential”
A former governor of the state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, described the initiative as a timely intervention that strengthens social development efforts and supports government policies aimed at empowering youths from the grassroots.
Also speaking, the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo, said sustained investment in sports infrastructure would help reduce crime, foster unity and position Ondo State as a hub for emerging athletic talents.
The event also featured the inauguration of the Chief Afolami Victor Awosika (CAVA) Tournaments, reinforcing the state government’s policy thrust of using sports as a sustainable platform for youth inclusion and development.
A major highlight of the event was the inauguration of the Chief Afolami Victor Awosika (CAVA) tournaments, which featured competitive games across different sports, with winners emerging in each category.
In the lawn tennis event, the Senior Staff Tennis Club, Akure, defeated the Ondo Tennis Club to claim the gold medal in the doubles category, while Olakunle Gbologe of UNIMED triumphed over Olanrewaju Akinnagbe of Ondo Tennis Club to emerge winner in the singles category.
In basketball, the UNIMED team outplayed the Don Bosco Youths with a scoreline of 73–55 to win the gold medal, while the Ondo City Spikers Club defeated Akure Dynamite Spikers Club in two straight sets to clinch the gold medal in the volleyball category.
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