Isiaka Adeleke Memorial Football Competition Kicks off in Osun

• Rep Bamidele Salam Urges Government at all levels to Focus on Sport Development at Grassroot Level

By Sola Isola

Orolu LG football team has defeated its counterpart from Osogbo LG as the fifth edition of Isiaka Adeleke Memorial Football Competition kicks off at the Osogbo Township Stadium in Osogbo, the Osun State Capital on Sunday.

The competition which is sponsored by Hon. Bamidele Salam representing Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore, and Ejigbo Federal Constituency at the National Assembly is in honour of the first civilian Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke popularly refered to as ‘Serubawon’.

Kicking off the competition, The Chairman, Public Account Committee of the House of Representatives pledged to increase the prizes and awards for players participating in the competition while also calling on the Federal Government to focus on sports development at grassroot level.

“We expect to receive very creative and skillful display as usual. The energy we expect from our young persons especially from the 30 LGs and Ife East. We should be expecting excellent officiating. We should expect that, as facilitators of this event, we will increase the kind of motivation we have been giving, we should expect we will have more prizes and awards, individually and collectively. We should expect discovery of more new talents. So, the next four weeks will be very exciting and passionate.

“The next four weeks will be exclusively dedicated to football in Osun. All attention will be on football. Grassroots football in this state.

“Let me State this about football, I recently visited Bulgaria, and I spoke with Bulgarian friends, and they were asking about Nigeria especially Nigeria footballers. They were mentioning names like Jay Jay Okocha, Daniel Amokachi, Mutiu Adepoju and they were saying what has been happening to the Nigerian football. We just need to wake up, especially in the aspect of football. And that’s the truth. That’s one of what the world knows about us.

“Ten to fifteen years ago, if you go to any African countries, all they know about Nigeria is Football. They will be mentioning footballers. But now, they all know about our artists. They will be talking about Davido, Wizkid, Burna Boy and the likes. What has gone wrong? What has happened to our football? It’s laudable we are promoting our music and known for it, but we should not lose it for what we already had. Football being part of it. We had built a reputation for it.

“The Federal Ministry of Sports Development should focus on promotion of football as a sport at the grassroots level. There are bundles of talents in the nook and cranny of this country. They only need to be discovered and promoted and given opportunity to grow. They are lots of Football Academies in the world that can sponsor our talents. This will sharpen their skills and make them more globally competitive.

“I want to encourage the Federal government of Nigeria, state and local governments to work together towards development of football. Nigeria is an important country not just in Africa, but in the world. But we have lost it in our football aspect, and we need to revive it”, he said.

Speaking on the development of other sports, Hon. Bamidele Salam notes that others sports will not be neglected while noting further football remains the most passionate and interesting of all sports.

“We will not neglect other sports. But Football is the most passionate, interesting and most participating event we have globally. We must not be left behind. This is without prejudice to promotion of other sports”, he added.

While addressing newsmen at the kick off of the competition, the Chairman, Planning Committee of the competition, Hon. Oladele Bamiji noted that the competition will run from now till January 15, 2025 adding that all local governments in the state is represented in the competition.

He said, “As usual, this year’s edition is kicked off today and it will run till January 15, 2025 when the final will be held. The final, as we all know, is used to mark posthumous birthday of Osun State’s first civilian governor, late Otunba Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke.

“On the day of the grand finale, we will be expecting the whole world to be here. I have just been informed that we will be having the president of NFF.

“We have decided to again give rewards to overall winners and best performers. We have 31 football teams, from the 30 LGs as well as the area office”.

The opening match ended 5-4 in favour of Orolu LG on a penalty shoot out after both teams ended the match on a 2 goals draw. Orolu LG has not proceeded to the second stage of the competition.

In the same vein, Irepodun LG Team defeated Olorunda LG by a lone goal and has also proceeded to the round of 16.