Yomi Oke donates sports equipment to schools in Oyo

Oyo State Sports Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr Yomi Oke (middle); Special Adviser to Governor on Youth, Mr Bolaji Repete (2nd left) and others during Oke visit to Government College, Ibadan on Wednesday. PHOTO: OLAWALE OLANIYAN.

Oyo State Sports Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr Yomi Oke, on Wednesday, distributed sports equipment to select schools as part of efforts to promote sports in the state.

The items distrubuted were cricket balls, basketballs, hockey balls, footballs, handballs, basketball nets, table tennis rackets and play eggs.

The programme which is a pet project of the commissioner with its theme as “Free 1k Balls for public Primary and Secondary school in Oyo State” is aimed at providing 1000 balls and other sporting facilities to public schools in the state, in support of the State Government’s initiative of “Catch Them Young”.

Ibadan Grammar School; Government College, Ibadan; St. Annes School; Yejide Girls Grammar School; Lagelu Grammar School; Loyola College; Urban Day Grammar School; Methodist Basic School II; Ikolaba Grammar School and Queen’s School, Ibadan, were among the beneficiaries.

Speaking with Tribunesport, Oke said, “This programme is in line with the vision of the Abiola Ajimobi-administration of ‘catch them young’. Also, I also use this programme to mark my birthday coming up in the days ahead by distributing 1k balls to public secondary schools in the state, this is the first phase of the programme.”

“We are to give 10 balls to schools in the first phase and also in the second phase. We have engaged some private individuals who will construct basketball, volleyball and hallball courts in support of this ‘catch them young’ programme of Oyo State government.

“The beneficiaries (schools) were selected based on their tradition of sports and some of the donors said they want their schools included like Loyola College. The Special Adviser to Governor on Youth and Sports, Bolaji Repete also donated balls to Loyola College likewise other friends.”

Meanwhile, a senior boy of the Government College, Akinola Morakinyo has lauded the donor for the kind gesture adding that, “we know this gesture will boost our sporting activities in the school and we promise to use the equipment judiciously.”