PDP deputy governorship candidate assures on repositioning sports in Osun if elected

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Prince Kola Adewusi has decried the poor state of sports in the state.

He said that if the party is elected, the sector will be restructured.

Speaking at Stakeholders’ Forum, a personality interview programme of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Osun State chapter, Adewusi said there was the need to restructure the system and make the sports council more functional through establishment of Sports Commission and reinvigorating the zonal sports councils to be able to harness potentials across the nook and cranny of the state.

“Sports can generate fund for itself but it must first be put in a good state while the sector is handled by experienced and credible professional. One of our plans is by bringing back the zonal sports council and embarking on talent hunting from the grassroots whereby each local government will specialize in one area of sports it has comparative advantage.

“Talents discovered from each local government will now be monitored and trained by the zonal sports council while the best among them will be nurtured to the international podium by the state.

“This is the way to go and not just organizing a programme or talent hunting that has no credible direction and plan. We will also incorporate services of professionals, sports personalities and associations to be able to come up with good programmes that will take care of all categories of sports,” he said.

The Ile-Ife born politician lamented the incessant loss of Osun athletes to other states, a development he attributed to poor welfare and non-availability of facilities and equipment.

“The stadium complex which was always full of several activities from day to dusk is now looking like a desert as a result of wrong pegs in the right holes.

‘We have identified all this and we’re going to revive the sector. We will employ more coaches to train the young athletes and ensure that Osun State takes best athletes to national and international games,” he added.

He lamented the poor state of the state’s male and female teams, Osun United and Osun Babes.

Adewusi said: “We are following the two teams. They are our team. We know what they’re going through. Imagine the state team without good vehicles, imagine the state teams playing home matches in OAU Ile Ife and Ile-Ogbo, imagine the players sleeping at a petrol station. “This is not Osun of our dream. The players are suffering. I want to assure them that their trying times are over as our party have solid programmes to put smiles on their faces if elected on July 16, 2022.”