Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Nwachuku Enwonwu, has admonished the management of Heroic Image Sports Club not to relent in their efforts at promoting sports from grassroots.
Enwonwu gave the charge on Thursday when the Club paid him a courtesy visit.
“Youths are our future leaders and this is the time to catch them young between the ages of 12 and 18 and by extension 21.
“This is the time to mould them, they have so much raw energy now. To your outfit that specialises in talents hunt, that is the time to catch the likes of Lionel Messi, Mohammed Salah and mould them to become football stars across the world.
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“I must appreciate you for a job well done because we can’t leave everything for government, so when we see public spirited individual and publics like you we are very pleased.
“I want to assure you that we are on the same page with you and we want to encourage you to continue doing those things that would help the society positively and give us children who in the next generation will make us proud.
“The emphasis should be on sports and education. So I can hear doctors, engineers and from what we gathered, you are all professionals in your field, so they should emulate you. Youths must be encouraged to be involved in extra curriculum activities,” Enwonwu said.
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In his remarks, President of HISC and the coordinator, U15 Oyo State Secondary School football competition, Kenneth Umeh said the essence of the visit was to welcome the CP to the state and also work assiduously to eradicate crime in the state.
He said his outfit has already set up Heroic Academy, where they will mentor and monitor talents to become football stars of tomorrow.
“Heroic Image Sports Club is a non-governmental Organisation (NGO), an organisation of sports personalities, businessmen, ex-internationals, administrators and technocrats whose passion for sports development is massive,” Umeh said.
Former Nigeria international and 2002 World Cup participant, Femi Opabunmi, was also part of the visit.