Football: Oodu’a League, Western Governors’ cup coming

Friday, August 11, 2017 8:46 am

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

The Acting Director General of Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, DAWN, Mr Seye Oyeleye and the Chairman of the South West Football Forum, Mr. Seyi Akinwunmi signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU on regional football tournament on Thursday.

Speaking on the MoU, Oyeleye stated that the initiative was part of the process of moving football forward in Southwest Nigeria and creating opportunities for youngsters to develop their talents and engage more youths in sports to reduce unemployment. Bemoan

He lamented the current situation where many young talents in the region are wasting away due to lack of opportunities to utilize their gifts for local, regional and national recognition regretting that the region which in the past produced many sportsmen/ women in footballing and other sporting activities is no longer prominent in sporting activities.

According to him, the regional sports project is a tool for regional integration, pointing out that the commission believes that the entire value chain of the sports initiative can provide up to one million direct and indirect job opportunities. “We are starting with football which is the most popular sport. It is the process of reclaiming of our lost glory as a region. And, we won’t look back”, Oyeleye said.

Also speaking, Akinwumi stated that the new partnership could lead to establishment of a new league to be christened Odu’a League as well as tournaments such as Western Nigeria Governors’ cup.

Akinwunmi explained that the forum was established in 2015 to enable footballers, coaches, football administrators and other related stakeholders in the football industry in Southwest to come together to support one another. He added that the forum also aimed at allowing members work together to improve football in the region.

Akinwumi said the forum, whose members include known names in the football industry such as Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, would go into a lot of groundwork that would make its tournaments succeed and also explore all opportunities for football development in the region.