President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Personal Assistant on Constituency Affairs has pledged to further boost the Rt.Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila Under 16 Football Competition.
The Presidential Aide Hon. Khadija Kareem-Omotayo stated the clear intent to help bring out the best of the secondary schools’ students in Surulere Federal constituency.
Hon. Kareem who coincidentally was an alumna of Zumuratu Islamiya Secondary school, the school team that eventually won one of the knockout stage matches played on Tuesday November 5, 2024 at the Union Bank Stadium in Surulere, emphasized the importance of shifting the bottled-up energies of youngsters into gainful activities especially sports.
“I want to commend the efforts of Honourable Desmond Elliott for putting this programme together, you know you can’t eradicate sports in Nigeria generally, if you noticed when Mr. President scrapped the Ministry of sports, he actually upgraded it, we cannot do without it in Nigeria.
“I am also going to challenge Honourable Desmond; my own coming back is going to be a massive one in Rt.Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila’s name.
“I want to thank Honourable Desmond team generally for putting this together in honour of our leader and father Rt.Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila the Chief of Staff to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Fortunately, my school team is playing-Zumuratu Islamiya and Femi Gbajabiamila Boys it was a coincidence, like a match between father and daughter, same match at same time and hour. I want to commend their efforts they are really doing their best.
“I am actually going to encourage them to put more efforts in what they are doing and to remain focused and firm once they are firm they will get to their destinations.” Hon. Kareem said.
Honourable Tolani Alli Balogun the Lagos State Commissioner for Primary and secondary Education in a chat with newsmen, reiterates the importance of engaging the youngsters in sports, citing the rewards stored up for them in future if proper skills are acquired.
“Sports in the global world today is about a career path, as we are exposing our students towards another career path, the issue is how do you channel positive energies of children into another behavioural path, so that they will not engage in social violence within the community?
He added that sports remain the best option, sporting activities like playing football and engaging in other sports that will be of positive value within the community.
“We do engage them in career talk from time to time just to prepare their minds for the future, we are aware of what they are doing today and it is not the first edition, but Rt.Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila is giving a leverage so that you can help the society and as well channeling the energies of students in a rewarding future engagement.
The Zumuratu Islamiya Secondary school team beats contending Femi Gbajabiamila Boys Secondary school team 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out, after several minutes of a goalless match.
Youngsters who played their hearts out displaying football skills and techniques that affirms thorough drills and training sessions added glamour to the football competition, as spirit of sportsmanship and brotherliness held sway all through the match.
Hon. Desmond Elliott a third term lawmaker representing Surulere constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly and whose office was responsible for the competition, harped on the importance of giving the upcoming youths in our society the needed guidance in the proper perspective.
He hinted that the failure at the home fronts could be salvaged through contributions of major stakeholders geared towards grooming the children aright.
“It is too important you can’t overemphasize the need to get our youths engaged, you can see prominent individuals from Surulere, we are all here to encourage our youths and it is a blend of education and sports, in a month-long football competition.
“That makes for a healthy living, most important is the symposium slated for 15th November, when we will have all representatives in Surulere present to rub minds with our children at a symposium, where we will hear them speak to us.
“It is an attempt to re-engineer their minds, letting them know that we are with them and showing the love. That is what living is all about. Giving them a taste of enjoyment in the midst of seeming harsh realities.
“You see lots of youths here all from Surulere, I believe the economy will arrange itself but we as individuals and community people we also have a duty to help groom our youngsters aright, nobody is going to feed them with that.
“We as a people are the ones saddled with that responsibility at making sure that these youngsters are well catered for.
“Our home structures are gone these days, so we must do all we can to help this youngster and that is why we are here.
“You can’t overemphasize what the Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila had done not only in Surulere but across the country, that is why children will love to identify with him.
“I am so honoured that he magnanimously agreed for this competition to be named after him and the kids will be so happy to see the Rt. Hon Gbajabiamila be the one to handover the cups to them at grand finale on 24th of November.”
The lawmaker also echoed the need to catch the future sportsmen young through such competition that originally emanates from the grassroots.
“The message I have always preached is that there is hope and it seems that nothing is really happening in terms of sports right now Nigeria, we are just at best average and I believe we need to dig inwards, with respects to the Olympics and other international sports competition.
“Grooming these youngsters, giving them the right trainings and required skills, look at what they did in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries, they groomed them from when they were kids.
“We have that in view in Surulere through the help of Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and we keep moving. Hon. Fuad Laguda and all others we are all pushing it. Grooming these youngsters to become best.
“The Olympic athletes doing great today all had to do with the opportunities and trainings availed them earlier in life. For now, it is football but next year we will do sprint, volleyball and every other sporting activity, from Surulere to the world that is our goal.”
All-Progressives Congress Party leader Chief Mrs. Bamidele also confirmed that “sporting activity is keeping our youths very busy taking them away from Peer pressure and social vices. I believe that there is still going to be a programme for the female child.”
The Coach of Zumuratu Islamiya team Mr Tolu Ipense speaking to newsmen after their victory affirmed his confidence in his players, especially his goal keeper, whom he said is also a very good player which speaks volume of how he was able to save many shots from the opponent.
He added that he is sure that his team will make the finals, come what may.
“I envisaged todays victory knowing quite well that our boys are well groomed am confident that we will make the finals even with two red cards down. Team work is one other thing we had going for us as it eventually secured our victory.”