As part of efforts to reshape the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan following their relegation to the lower division, the Oyo State House of Assembly committee on sports has summoned the management of the club and other major stakeholders in the state to appear before it.
Chairman of the House Committee on Youth and Sports, Honourable Fatai Adesina, in the memo he presented on thefloor of the Assembly on Tuesday and made available to Tribunesport on Wednesday, stated that the Assembly is aware that various reasons have been adduced for the failure of the club and their eventual relegation.
This, it was added in the memo, compelled it as a tier of government to review the activities of the team to prepare the team for future challenges, especially funding, as a section of the public clamours for restructuring.
The memo reads in part: “The House further notes that in the past 3/4 years or more than that, the team has been wobbling and fumbling.
Well over 700million naira has been committed to running of the team by the government, not including gatetakings, sponsorship deal, money from LMC and other associated revenue, including selling of players with no returns into the state government’s coffers.
“The house has been aware that throughout last year, despite the funding, nearly all the players were on loan. In view of the above, I humbly request that in line with section 128 subsections 1&2 that the following be invited to shed more light on the club’s activities in the last four years.” The memo was signed by Honourable Adesina.
Those expected at the hearing at a yet to be fixed date include the leadership of the Oyo state Football Association, representative of the accountant general, officials of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, players representative, staff of Shooting Stars, relevant stakeholders, including interested ex-players, representative of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Oyo State chapter and other interested public officials.
When contacted by phone, Adesina said the invitation was not aimed at witch-hunting any individual or group of persons, but will among other things, enable the committee have a thorough review and propose a possible way forward on the smooth-running of the team.
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