•••We will continue to be partners in progress – Ologunloluwa
The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Ondo State chapter has urged the board of the Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA) led by Executive Chairman,Hon. Bamidele Ologunloluwa, to uphold professionalism and bring back the old glory of the people’s darling team, Sunshine Stars/Queens.
Chairman SWAN in the State, Mr Segun Giwa, made the call while on a courtesy visit to the executive chairman of ODSFA, Hon. Bamidele Ologunloluwa and the board at the Ondo state sports complex in Akure.
Giwa congratulated Hon Bamidele Ologunloluwa on his appointment as Executive chairman of ODSFA urging him to use his wealth of experience to develop football especially at the grassroot.
“As the watchdog of the society especially when it comes to sports, professionalism is very important.
“You coming back with your wealth of experience will add value to the agency. Now you have the time to focus on football alone. With this, we expect much more from your board.
“I want to urge you to separate praise singers from professionals. Shun sycophancy and put the right peg in the right hole.
“Ensure that those have been appointed and will still be appointed are those that are deserving of the positions. Let’s bring back the old glory of Sunshine Stars and Sunshine Queens,” he said.
Giwa also highlighted some of areas the new board could benefit with a more robust synergy with the sport writers in building on the good image of teams under the agency with presence of members at both home and away matches of the teams.
He also seeked the support of the executive Chairman to having a beffitting SWAN Secretariat which he helped facilitate when he was the commissioner for sports.
In his response, the Executive Chairman of ODSFA, Hon. Bamidele Ologunloluwa, thanked Ondo SWAN and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),Ondo State chapter for their support in propagating sporting activities in the state.
“We will work together. I want to quickly tell you that I will be supporting Ondo SWAN fully. We have to rally support and promote the interest of our state owned teams. We want to implore you to allow the relationship to grow.
“We want Ondo SWAN to give the teams a proper image on all social media platforms. That’s why we have to work together to achieve results. I want to call on you to see this project as your project. Make Sunshine Stars, Sunshine Queens and the youth teams your babies as from today,” he said.
The ODSFA boss lauded the Governor of Ondo State, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa for being a sports friendly governor who is passionate about grassroots football development.
“Selection of our players, technical crew and other appointments will be on merit and i can assure you that we will carry you along in whatever decisions we make.
“You already have your representative who is a full time member of the board, Mr Akintunde Akinsemola and I know will deliver well,” he said.
Ologunloluwa promised to look into the books and see what can be done to increase the monthly stipends of home and away matches for sports journalists, assuring that the board will leave no stone unturned to develop football in the state.
