Organisers hail Value Jet as Remo Secondary Schools Athletics Championships begin

South West Athletics Association hails Ogunkoya Foundation
Organisers of the Remo Secondary Schools Athletics Championship, which begins today at the Gateway International Stadium in Shagamu, have praised Value Jet Airlines for throwing its weight behind the competition.

The competition, organised by the Falilat Ogunkoya Sports Foundation, is for secondary schools in the Remo Division of Ogun State and will serve as a platform to discover talents that can be groomed in time to represent Ogun State at the National Sports Festival scheduled for Benin, Edo State in March/April next year.

The brain behind the event, Chief Falilat Ogunkoya yesterday expressed her gratitude to Value Jet and its owner, Kunle Soname for backing the competition. She believes the talents discovered at the competition will forever be grateful to Soname, also a Remo indigene, for giving them the opportunity to be noticed.

“This is a dream come true for me. I am grateful to Mr. Soname for identifying with our objective, which is to give boys and girls in the Remo Division of Ogun State the opportunity to showcase their talents.

“Through his company, Value Jet, the latest airline in Nigeria reputed to be one of the safest to fly in, the first Remo Secondary Schools Athletics Championships is a reality,” said Ogunkoya, who is the reigning African 400m record (49.10) holder and two-time Olympic medallist.

Ogunkoya is also delighted that the South West Athletics Association has identified with her.

“Schools from the six south western states of Nigeria have been invited for the South West Athletics Relays to add colour to the competition,” Ogunkoya said.

Some of the Southwest schools that have indicated interest in the relays are Brightville College Ibadan, Ayodele Comp. College, Oyo, Progressive College Modakeke, Trailblazer College Ilesa, Aquinas College Akure, and Oyemekun Grammar School Akure, among others.

“The competition promises to be exciting and I am looking forward to the 400m in particular to see if Ogun State can produce an athlete that will break my African record in future,” added Ogunkoya, who thanked Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun for providing the enabling environment for sports to thrive in the state.