IT is my pleasure to welcome you all to this august gathering. For the seven days now, Nigerians of different backgrounds have been socializing with one another. Teams from different states have contested against one another and matches have been won and lost and to God be the glory not a single fracas nor confrontation has been recorded, be it from the officials or the players; this is a proof that Nigerians are peace-loving and that sports in general and football in particular is a unifying factor and a panacea to the socio-security challenges that have bedeviled our nation in recent
times.
Couple of years past not many people can predict that this community will play host to the competition of this magnitude considering the myriads of challenges facing it, but I will let us know what has been our driving force.
Besides God Who has been the pillar of our lives and a constant factor in everything we set out to do, our other secret that has been propelling us is that 6-letter word- BELIEF-. Just as
Leroy Hood once said and I quote, “don’t underestimate the power of your vision to change the world. Whether that world is your office, your community, an industry or a global movement, you need to have a core belief that what you contribute can fundamentally change the paradigm.
” With MASM tournament, we have been able to show that, given the right atmosphere, talents are abound in this country and our national teams should be competing very well with their counterparts in abroad.
At this juncture, I want to express my profound gratitude to the officials of Youths Sports Federation Of Nigeria (YSFON) for sharing with us the belief that Ilaji Stadium and Resorts Center and, by and large, this community, can successfully host an inter-state competition.
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Here in this arena, YSFON has recreated a mini national sports festival. Sadly enough, the National Sports Festival, one of the competitions that used to supply our nation raw talents, was last held in 2012. I am, thus, imploring the relevant authorities to ensure that the Sports Festival which has now been slated for November does not experience postponements of the last four years.
Without gain-saying competitions such as the National Sports Festival and MASM U-17 YSFON Female Soccer competition are incubators of sporting talents through which our national teams can be saturated with genuine global competitors.
I must confess that I am highly pleased with the conduct of the participating teams and their officials in the past one week but what gladdens me most is the quality of football displayed on the field of play by all the teams right from the group stage to the semi-final matches played yesterday.
Considering the high level performances we have watched so far, we have every reason to be optimistic about the future of female football not only in Oyo state or Ona-Ara local government but at the global stage.
However, It is an irony that considering the abundance of sporting talents in our country, at least judging from the raw talents we have witnessed here in this tournament, Nigeria national teams still record poor showings at international competitions; a good example of this was the dismal outing of our own Super Eagles which culminated in their exit in the ongoing senior world cup hosted by Russia. Thus, i want to appeal to our football authorities at various levels in this country once again to endeavor to send coaches to the grassroots competitions such as this with a view to scouting for talents that can do us proud in subsequent competitions. If our football authorities can take it upon themselves to look inward for young talents and subsequently provide an enabling environment with which they would be nurtured, I can confidently say that within a short period of time, our national teams will compete effectively with the football super powers like Brazil, Germany, Spain, England, Portugal, France, Japan just to mention but a few.
In view of this, I am using this medium to appeal to corporate bodies and individuals to see sports as golden investment and service to humanity. Sports, besides, providing gainfully employment to our teeming youths, will also serve as a tool through which crime will be drastically reduced. It is an open secret that majority of the crimes that are unleashed on our society are perpetrated by our unemployed youths who indulge in these illicit activities thinking that the society will give them the recognition they deserve once they have acquired the ill-gotten wealth.
MASM, an acronym of Madam Agbeke Sanusi Muslimat, is put together by YSFON in memory of my mother who passed on exactly ten years ago . For the benefits of young girls present here today, motherhood is a great work that God, our creator, also recognizes. It is not by coincidence that the scriptures (Bible and Quran) speak glowingly of our mothers. Infact, God dedicates a whole chapter to women in the Quran; all these is an indication of the exalted positions God Almighty has placed women in general and our mothers in particular.
This special focus to the entire womenfolk in general and our mothers in particular couldn’t have been coincidental; it is God’s way of the wonderful job our mothers carry out on us. Therefore, immortalising my mum through this competition is my little way of appreciating her efforts which has gone a long way in moulding this standing here before you.
Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has contributed in one way or the other to the huge success recorded so far. My sincere thanks go to Almighty God, the Author and Finisher of our faith. I am expressing my profound gratitude to the entire YSFON officials both at the state and at the national level.
My special thanks go to the Executive Governor of Oyo state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi. I also appreciate the supports of Commissioner for Youths & Sports, Bar. Yomi Oke; Commissioner for Education, Science & Technology, Prof. Adeniyi Olowofela; Commissioner for & Housing, Mr Isaac Omodewu; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community Development, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Atinuke Osunkoya; Chief of Staff to Oyo State Governor, Chief Grade
Ojo.
Many thanks to Chairmen of Ona-Ara, Inukan and Ido local government, Hon. Buliaminu Ogundele, Hon. Lanre Adesina and Hon. Wahab
Oladejo respectively.
I also appreciate the efforts of management and staff of Ilaji Stadium and Resorts Center headed by Mrs. Olarinde, Coach Zico, Coach Sesan,
Mr. Ademola, Engr. Hawai who is the architect and designer of Ilaji Stadium & Resorts Center.
My special thanks to Oyo State Commissioner of Police, the DPO, Akanran and his men, the Head of Medical team, the media team, Hazeez
Ayansola and Mr Sport.
I won’t forget my friends, Mr. Babatunde Olaniyi (Ti-O-Common), Dr. Olamitoye, Dream Wise and many others.
I also appreciate our partners from PortHarcourt and here in Ibadan,
our local Chief Security official, the Head of Oloyo Village, Association of the physically challenged people, the entire Sanusi family, the participants and their officials over their outstanding performances in this past one week, everyone present here, the j here present, ladies and gentlemen.
I wish everybody a safe trip back home.
