Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that the state will key into the FIFA Connect Programme in order to discover upcoming football talents in the state, adding that his administration was ready to work with the Nigerian Football Federation to develop the round leather game in the state.
Makinde stated this on Friday while hosting the President of the NFF, Amaju Pinnick, Football Association chairmen from some neighbouring South West states, and ex-3SC and Super Eagles player, Mutiu Adepoju.
This was just as the governor inaugurated the winner of the chairmanship election in Ido Local Government, Hon. Sheriff Adeojo, congratulating the people of the local government for putting in place their own government at the grassroots.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola, who was represented by Justice Mashood Abass, administered the oath of office on Adeojo and his Vice Chairman, Saka Fashola, at a ceremony held at the Executive Council Chamber, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Makinde charged Adeojo, who scored 19,744 votes to emerge winner in the rescheduled election in the local government, to do all within his best to bring succour to the people of the local government.
Speaking earlier, while hosting the NFF team, Governor Makinde maintained that his administration’s determination to ensure that Oyo State gets a share of the $600 billion worth sport sector led to the massive investments on sports development.
He said: “I welcome you back home (to Ibadan) and it is indeed a plus for us because since you have that affinity to Oyo State, I know if there is anything passing through your table which will benefit us, you will consider it done.
“Actually, we have been thinking about how to engage the majority of our youths and the talents we have in the state and take them off the street.
“The sports industry is huge worldwide.
“So, we think we deserve a slice of the $600 billion sport industry and we know we do have talents all over the place but there is nothing to connect them.
“When we came in, we did not meet any real programme in place to seek for these talents and harness them.
“When I went to Edo State, I was taken around the stadium and I immediately asked who did it for them.
“Also, we look forward to our Shootings Stars Sports Club getting back into the professional premier league in Nigeria so that every weekend, we will all look forward to their evening matches.
“We are on that trajectory and we are happy to work with NFF for value addition.”
The governor stated that his government would like to explore the opportunities available in the FIFA Connect Programme to discover talents in the state, saying: “In terms of the FIFA Connect programme you mentioned, I am hearing it for the first time but what you mentioned, we will take it on board and definitely get Oyo State connected into the programme.
