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Tag: Saka Yusuf Ogunleye

  • ‘No crisis in Akure North APC’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State has said they were satisfied with the emergence of Abiodun Faleye as the party’s flag bearer for its state constituency.

    The leaders of the party in Akure North stated this in a communique signed by 11 ward chairmen after their emergency meeting on Thursday in Oba Ile,Akure.

    The communique was signed by Mrs Olufunke Adu, Vice Chairman, APC, Akure North, and Gbenga Fadeyi, Secretary, APC Akure North.

    Others signatories were Mrs Serifat Adepoju, Women Leader, APC Akure North and Isaac Lawal, Youth Leader of the party in the region.

    The Chairman of the party in the area had described the candidature of Faleye as an imposition, calling for Dele Ologun to be recognized by the national body.

    The communique noted that it would be unfair to other communities from the region, if the House of Assembly candidate and the Local Government Chairman emerged from the same ward out of 12 wards in the area.

    It observed that the party primary conducted in the local government reflected the wishes of the generality of the party members, where  Abiodun Faleye won the primary with 7,947 votes as against Dele Ologun’s 2,742.

    Read Also: Our decisions on primaries final, APC tells protesters

    The party supporters therefore urge the national chairman of our great party comrade Adams Oshiomole, the state chairman,Ade Adetimehin, party leaders and the general public to disregard the statement as signed by Joshua Eleti,chairman of the party in the council.

    One of the leaders at the meeting,who is the commissioner for Youths and Sports, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, said there were two APC groups in the council area which had agreed to work together for the interest of the party.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye said a decision was reached that the two elective positions; council chairman and house of assembly be shared,adding that the position of councillors was also agreed to be shared between the groups equally.

  • Ondo first lady launches 2018 Summer Tennis Clinic for children

    The Wife of Ondo State Gov., Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, on Friday launched the 2018 State Summer Tennis Clinic for children between four and 13 years old.

    Speaking at the ceremony, which took place at the Township Stadium in Akure, Akeredolu expressed joy that the dream of initiating the tennis clinic was gradually being realised.

    She said that she was impressed that the children who participated in last year’s edition attended other competitions and won laurels.

    “This clinic is essentially to identify and develop talents in our children.

    “It is important to encourage sports development among youths in the state, particularly at the grassroots level.”

    She said that the essence was to discover and develop the latent potential and skills of young ones who were capable of becoming champions.

    Read Also: ASUP re-elects chairman at Ondo poly

    “The benefits of catching our youth’s young, especially in sports, are enormous.

    “Let us look at champions like Venus and Serena Williams. They all started as young children.

    “Today, they have become world champions winning numerous awards. We have Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Billie Jean King, just to mention a few.

    The governor’s wife said that the programme “is not a government thing”.

    “You can give into it. Let nobody wait for the governor to bring money here,” she said.

    Mr Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, commended the governor’s wife for the initiative.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye said that the programme would go a long way in building future tennis players for the state and Nigeria.

    A participant, Aanuoluwapo Efunsile, said the participants would use the opportunity provided by Akeredolu to develop themselves and become great tennis players.

    300 students are participating in the programme holding from August. 23 to Septemper.1, 2018.

    It is organised by the Office of Wife of Ondo Governor in collaboration with the Ondo State Sports Council. 

  • Commonwealth: Akeredolu to reward medalists from Ondo

    Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State says athletes from the state who won medals at the just concluded Commonwealth Games in Australia will be rewarded.

    Akeredolu disclosed this during a fund raiser and inauguration of the National Athletics Development Centre by the Nigeria Sports Development Fund Inc. ( NSDFI ) on Monday evening in Akure.

    “Going to the Commonwealth and winning medal is not easy, that is what the minister of sports said.

    “If each state had won two medals at the event, the country should have topped the medals table,” he said.

    The coach and athletes to be rewarded are Purity Akuh, a wrestling coach with the State Sports Council and national coach,  Aminat Adekuroye and  Odunayo Adeniyi, gold medal winners as well as  Bose Samuel, a bronze medalist.

    The athletes won medals in the wrestling event at the Games.

    Commenting on the Centre, Akeredolu said the initiative would engage the youths of the state positively.

    The governor noted that the programme was bound to succeed because the money would come from the masses and not government.

    Akeredolu encouraged people of the state and the country at large to key into the programme as it would benefit both the rich and the poor.

    Earlier, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung,  said the funds from the programme would go a long way in  preparing  athletes for the 2020 Olympics.

    Dalung, represented by Mr Ademola Are, Director, Federation and Elite Athlete Department of the ministry, said the programme was a practical example that ‘government cannot do it all’.

    The minister said that a similar programme was initiated in 1994 and before the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, urging people to see it as a Nigerian project.

    Read Also: ‘Osinbajo for Ondo MSME clinic Thursday’

    Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, said the programme and community lottery scheme was a partnership between Ondo State Government, Athletics Federation of Nigeria and NSDFI.

    According to Yusuf-Ogunleye, one of the benefits of the partnership was establishment of sports facilities in the three senatorial districts of the state.

    The Director General of NSDFI, Mr Olajide Fashikun, said the launch had a target of raising N900 million for 90 athletes in five sports for the Olympics.

    Fashikun said that the programme only needed 4.5 million Nigerians to donate N200 only in 90 days for the dream to come to reality.

    “For every of the 90 athletes, we shall as a nation give them what it takes to rule the world. The last time we did this was 1994 when our fund supported those preparing for 1996 Atlanta Olympics Games.

    ” We shall repeat the feat. By the last day of July 2018, we want to make sure we have delivered on this task,” he said.

    NAN

  • Ondo Football Agency workers protest 20 months unpaid salaries

    The workers of the Ondo State Football Agency ( ODSFA ) on Thursday protested over 20 months unpaid salaries by the agency’s management.

    The News men report that ODSFA is the body in charge of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure.

    The peaceful protest that took place at the gate of governor’s office, Akure, saw the workers carrying placards to show displeasure with the way the agency is being run by the management, especially the civil servants seconded to the agency.

    Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: “Due to unpaid salaries, workers’ marriages have broken up’’ and “ODSFA pay our 20 months unpaid salaries’’.

    Others are “Our past leaders in ODSFA have put our lives in danger due to unpaid salaries’’, Arakunrin ( governor ) save our souls’’ and “Two workers have died due to 20 months unpaid salaries’’.

    The Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, while addressing the protesting workers promised to relocate his office to the agency on Monday and look into the issues raised by the workers.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye said most of the problems in the agency were caused the by the past managements of the agency, but noted that government was a continuum.

    The commissioner said government had taken steps and moving to ensure that the monthly subvention of the agency was increased to ensure some of the problems faced were settled.

    “The governor has directed the commissioner for finance to look at it and I have met the finance commissioner today, and as soon as the finances increased, the monthly subvention for ODSFA will be increased.

    Read Also: Herdsmen’s kids, others to be immunised in Ondo

    “We will meet with you by Monday to find a lasting solution. We are not here to deceive you, most of the reasons you are here was part of last administration’s fault.

    “Immediately they lost elections, the salaries of players were increased, creating problems for the incoming administration,’’ he said.

    However, Samuel Patani, a staff of the agency and leader of the protest, said some of his colleagues had died due to unpaid salaries for several months.

    Patani said that monies being sent to the agency were only being used to cater for Sunshine Stars and other workers were neglected.

    “We have two, three workers lying in the hospital that needed to be operated on, but they don’t have money to pay, one of them is having enlarged prostate, we don’t want him to die.

    “The management always claim that the money coming in is small, and we always tell them to consider us as we have obligations to meet too.

    “Our children are dropping out of school, we want government to help us and look into our situation,’’ he said.

    Patani noted that the last government owed the workers 14 months, while the current government is owing six months salaries.

    NAN

  • Ondo sacks Sunshine Stars coach

    The Ondo State Government on Tuesday sacked the Head Coach of Sunshine Stars, Duke Udi with immediate effect and asked  the former Coach of the team, Henry Abiodun to take over.

    The state Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, made this known  on Tuesday in Akure.

    Abiodun was the Technical Director of the team before his appointment .

    Yusuf-Ogunleye said his ministry took the decision following letters received from the Ondo State Football Agency over the act of insubordination and gross misconduct by Udi.

    The commissioner noted that the Management Board of the club and the ministry decided to part ways with the coach after a joint meeting.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye said the duo also agreed that Abiodun should take over the management of the team till further notice.

    The former Sunshine FC head coach is a CAF Licence C category coach.

    Sunshine Stars are 17th on the NPFL table with 13 points from 12 matches.

    The club will play Yobe Deserts on Sunday in Akure.

    NAN

  • Ondo APC preaches unity among members

    Ondo APC preaches unity among members

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has urged members to continue to coexist in unity and harmony in other to prevent internal crisis within the party.

    This was the resolution of the party leaders in Akure North and environs at a ‘Unity Meeting’ organised by the Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Mr Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, on Wednesday in Akure.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye, while speaking at the meeting, said the forum followed the directive of the governor to ensure that all those that defected were welcomed back by leaders in each ward.

    “As a sitting commissioner representing Akure North, I have to organise the meeting and to make my people to know the achievements of the governor and what he intends to do for the people in the area,” he said.

    Also speaking with newsmen after the meeting, a Second Republic senator, Olorunimbe Farukanmi, said the forum was crucial to the development of the party in the local government as elections were approaching.

    Read Also:Tinubu gets Presidential mandate to reconcile APC members

    Farukanmi praised the commissioner for deeming it fit to organise such a meeting to foster unity among members.

    The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Ifedayo Abegunde, said he was impressed as the forum provided an opportunity to meet many people he had known when he was in the Peoples Democratic Party.

    He urged members to continue to support the Akreredolu-led government in other to move the state forward.

    The Chairman of the party in the local government, Joshua Eleti, received some defectors from the Alliance for Democracy into the party.

    Eleti promised that there would be equal opportunity for everybody, irrespective of the time they joined the party.

    Former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Kenneth Olawale, and former AD Chairman in the state, Makinde Oguntona, were among dignitaries at the meeting.

    Others were Mrs Omowumi Edet, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Yemisi Aladesaye, former Chairman of the defunct ANPP, and Mrs Funke Adu, Iyaloja of APC in Ondo State.

    NAN

  • We will reward hard working athletes, Commissioner assures

    We will reward hard working athletes, Commissioner assures

    The Ondo State Government said, on Thursday in Akure, that it would reward hard working athletes in the state, Mr Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports the assured.

    He gave the assurance in Akure while receiving athletes that represented the state and excelled in various local and international competitions, such as Wrestling, Volleyball, Weight lifting, Table Tennis and Football among others.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye, who said arrangements had been concluded to give the athletes a state reception, called on them to enhance effort in winning more medals for the state.

    The commissioner, while appealing to all stakeholders to be patience with government, also promised that ” everyone” in the state would enjoy the dividends of democracy.

    “We are very happy with the performances recorded by our athletes in various sports. This has shown us that with more incentives, we can conquer the world.

    “The success recorded in Wrestling, Weightlifting, Football, Volleyball and Table Tennis did not come by accident but due to the available talents as well as encouragement from the state government.

    “It is on this note that I want to congratulate all the winners, “he said.

    The commissioner, however, noted that it was difficult for the state government to ensure much financial motivation for the sportsmen due to paucity of funds.

    Read: Ogun athletes determined to dominate National Youth Games – Commissioner

    He disclosed that there were workers in the Ondo State Football Agency who had not been paid their salaries for 12 months.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye, who said the present administration in the state was on a rescue mission, assured athletes of better days ahead.

    Earlier, the Director of Sport, State sports Council, Mr Martins Adeojo, said that the current present administration had achieved a lot in less than a year, especially in sports development.

    Adeojo, who presented the athletes to the commissioner, attributed the medals won for the country by indigenes of the state to the unflinching support received from Gov.Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    He, however, called on the state government to do more in the area of financial encouragement and provision of facilities.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Odunayo Adekuoroye, Aminat Adeniyi, John Emmanuel, Bisola Makanjuola, and Samuel Bose won gold and silver medals in wrestling for Nigeria at the African Senior Championship in Morocco.

    Adekunoroye also won silver medal for Nigeria in wrestling in Women’s category at the World Wrestling Championship in Paris.

    In Weight lifting, Fatima Yakubu won three gold medals for Nigeria at the African Championship in Uganda.

    Matty Taiwo (17), won two gold and one bronze medal at the ITTF African Junior tournament in Egypt.

    The state also emerged 3rd on the overall medals table, out of 35 states at the 2017 National Youth Games in Ilorin with 12 gold, 12 silver and 12 bronze medals.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that three players from the state are currently at the National Volleyball Camp in Abuja ahead of the African Championship in Egypt.

    The commissioner congratulated the Super Eagles for qualifying for next year’s World cup in Russia.

    Highpoint at the occasion was the receipt of the Fair Play Trophy won by Sunshine Stars of Akure at the just concluded 2017 AITEO Federations Cup, by the commissioner.

    Read Also: 2017 World Rowing Championships: 6 athletes to represent Nigeria

  • Ripples over weekend attack on football fans

    Ripples over weekend attack on football fans

    •’Suspected hoodlums may be from Osun’

    Ondo State yesterday alleged that 20 indigenes were, at the weekend, attacked in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, shortly after a football competition between the state’s Sunshine Star and Osun United.

    Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Saka Yusuf Ogunleye, who addressed a news conference, alleged that Sunshine supporters sustained injuries when suspected hoodlums  from Osun State attacked them.

    According to him, 40 vehicles, inscribed with Osun logo, were mobilised to the stadium.

    He added that those who assaulted Ondo visitors were suspected loyalists of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, identified through their uniform.

    He said trouble started after the match ended 3-1 in favour of Sunshine Stars.

    Ogunleye, who said he was present, alleged that Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola contacted the Awujale of Ijebu-Ode when the perpetrators were arrested by the police.

    Two of the victims, Messrs Ayodele Folorunsho and Felix Olowa, who sustained injuries on their heads, were brought to Cocoa Conference Hall, venue of the news conference.

    They recalled that  cutlasses and stones were used on them, saying they lost their mobile phones, shoes and clothes.

    Ondo Information and Orientation Comissioner Yemi Olowolabi, who was also at the conference, said the attack on his people was unfortunate.

    He called on Aregbesola, rulers and eminent personalities in Yorubaland to intervene to avoid friction between the two states.

    Although Olowolabi did not link this to the attack on the Osun Commissioner for Regional Integration, Mr Bola Ilori, he, however, decried the situation and stressed the need for peace between the two states.

    Ilori, an indigene of Ondo State, but a serving commissioner in Osun, was attacked last Thursday at the International Events Centre, Akure, at the public hearing on restructuring and true federalism, organised by the APC.

    His shirt was torn, but was rescued by his supporters, who came with him to the event.