D’Tigress Assistant Coach, Adewunmi Aderemi, has urged governments at all levels to pay more attention to sports development by appointing viable youths to handle sports related matters and offices in the country.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the second edition of Blitzik Basketball Clinic/Challenge at the Akure Sports Complex, which featured four states, including Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states, Aderemi said sports provides livelihood for many youths, who hitherto could have taken to crime.
Team Ondo beat Team Osun 86 to 44 to win the three-day basketball clinic/challenge, while Ogun and Ekiti states came fourth and fifth respectively.
Medals, exercise notes, trophy and certificates were presented to the basketball players, schoolchildren and other participants, while certificates of special recognition and medals were presented to some individuals that have contributed to sports and human development.
Amongst the recipients were Coach Aderemi, General Manager, Ondo State Sports Council, Mr. Henry Babatunde, Pastor Joseph Ezire, Mr. Yinka Omogoye, Mr. Segun Bright, Coach Sola Aluko, Fisayo Bello and Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olatuja.
Aderemi, who is also the Head Coach of MFM women basketball team, expressed his satisfaction with the initiative, stressing that appointing youths with passion for sports would foster speedy sports development in Nigeria.
Also speaking at the event, the initiator, Blitzik Sports and Assistant Secretary, Ondo State SWAN, Mr. Isaac Afolabi, said the NGO would provide healthy challenge for athletes, encourage and inspire raw talents to embrace sports and education.
He promised to continue to invest in sports and human development to better the lives of children and athletes nationwide. Afolabi, a sports correspondent with Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), lauded all stakeholders that made the project a success, particularly Japan Aviation School, Yamanashi, Japan.
According to him, the Japanese aviation school contributed immensely to the Basketball Clinic/Challenge by donating over 20 basketballs freely for the event.
