At 27, Seun Fakorede is unarguably one the youngest commissioners in Nigeria’s history following his appointment as the Commissioner for Youth and Sports in Oyo State from August 2019 to July 2021.Reappointed in October 2021, the entrepreneur-turned politician spoke on efforts being made to ensure that Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) remains in Nigeria’s football elite division coupled with efforts to revive sports generally in Oyo State, reports OLANREWAJU AGIRI
After returning to the Premiership division in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), 3SC, the darling team of Oyo State, fought well to remain in the top division for the next season and thanks in part, to the ingenuity of the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Seun Fakorede.
“There are quite a number of things that actually brought about the corresponding escape from the relegation of our 3SC but I believe that is just a function of being more deliberate, calculative, and proactive,” Fakorede said. “ Today’s sport especially football is not just knowing what to do on the pitch or the arena alone, but there are lots of strategies that go behind the scenes such as knowing the opposition, knowing the team you want to play against, knowing their tactics and strategy.
“At that point when things become critical; those are the things we have to do. We called a stakeholders’ meeting to have the opinion of every stakeholder, especially pertaining to the sustenance of the club in the current league and current season. Everybody gives out their honest opinion and immediately we drew out a resolution and we followed it up immediately and I thank God for that intervention.
“I called it divine intervention because if we have not done what we did as at the time we did it, I’m very sure that is going to be another story entirely, but I’m so glad that we are able to stop the storm and today we remain in the elite league. We shouldn’t have it another way,” he said.
He continued: “I can tell you that every need of 3SC is just like human needs are quite insatiable and there are a number of things that are actually responsible for the way things are, but I will say if you know at all, you shouldn’t give attention to such. This administration gave 3SC one of the best attention so far in the history of the club and there is a number of things we are also trying to balance to the glory of God we have been able to learn a number of lessons, by seeing things differently now more than ever before.
“This is the first time that 3SC will be playing in the NPFL league during our administration. We can say that they just completed the season which is more or less like a test run for us. Now we have a better way to handle the situation and things around the club even in the elite league and we are ready to give the best shot in the coming season.
On the possible tinkering with the team’s technical crew ahead of next season, he said: “If there is anything I’m very sure of, is that change is very vital and constant just like every football game. There is a first half and second half and even while the first half is going there are different evaluations and reviews ongoing and those kinds of reviews are what necessitate substitutions after the first half.
“Just like we have completed a season; all hands are on deck to make sure we evaluate the entire team, and the technical crew, and where changes are needed, we will definitely take the necessary actions. Football is not politics; we cannot afford to be sentimental about certain things, we just have to hit the nail on the head if we want the result because the people that you are going to play against, your sentiment will not make you overcome them because it’s a technical skill.”
On the possibility of having two teams in the NPFL, he said: “I remember vividly, some time ago when I had a very intensive discussion with his Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde and I asked him if we have a situation where our two top club sides were promoted to the elite league, do you think we can actually have both of them on board at the same time?
He said , ‘Seun why not, it’s a good thing for us, and whatever it is; if it means we have to double our exercises, and our engagement to make sure that we create the kind of resources, needs, and environment that they need to fly at that level.’
“As a result, we have adjusted a number of things in the club, restructure a few things and today I’m not surprised that we have the kind of result we are having right now and you know I cannot be surprised when we eventually get the promotional ticket into the next level.
“When it comes to sports generally, you don’t run sport with the sentiment, you don’t run it in a conventional political way; it’s a thing that is technical, so you have to involve a lot of professionalism without emotions and that is what we have been doing so far to have the kind of result that we have today.”
On plans to reward Oyo State athletes that have done well in major tournament tournaments, he said: “The Oyo State Government will give adequate rewards and motivate athletes that won medals at the national and international competitions. These guys are champions and have made Oyo state proud and the government will ensure that they are rewarded accordingly to serve as an impetus for them to achieve greater heights in the foreseeable future. The feats of our athletes in national and international tournaments can be attributable to the grace of God, stressing that it is good to appreciate God for all the victories recorded by our athletes since the inception of this administration in 2019.
“One of the strengths of this administration is to introduce formidable projects and not just to introduce them but to also sustain them.
“This administration is one that is not giving room to waste and if there is anything we cannot afford to spend millions and in some cases, billions of naira on facilities that over two years will be nothing to write home about.
“S o right from inception as we are putting together this project, we are backing it up with proper management so that there will not be any case of spending millions of naira and not properly maintained.
“ I can assure you that when these projects are fully completed, immediately there is a proper facility management firm that takes up the task to keep maintaining and upgrading the standard that is actually put in there, I know for sure that we will definitely have no issue whatsoever as regard maintenance.
On the government’s efforts to encourage other sports, he said: “One of the things that endeared us to take up the project of revitalizing the sports infrastructure of the state is to encourage the grassroots into sports generally and make sure we give prominence to other sports that we have.
“At the Lekan Salami Sports Complex we are remodelling a number of sports facilities such as handball, basketball, volleyball, and other sports even though we cannot deny that football is the most popular and most engaged. We are also trying to raise the consciousness of interest of the people that we have in the state.”