In an open letter dated February 3, 2026, and addressed to the governor to mark Ondo State’s 50th anniversary, Obanoyen argued that the state’s sports sector has suffered decades of neglect, weak leadership structures, and politicised management, resulting in wasted youth potential and institutional decay.
He described Sunshine Stars FC as a symbol of Ondo State’s broader sports crisis, warning that without urgent reforms, professional governance, and insulation from political interference, the club risks further decline.
The advocate called on the state government to treat sports as a strategic tool for youth employment, social stability, and economic development rather than as a ceremonial or seasonal activity.
Obanoyen urged the Aiyedatiwa administration to institute immediate reforms, including an independent audit of Sunshine Stars, professional management, completion of sports infrastructure, and structured private-sector partnerships, stressing that Ondo State’s Golden Jubilee should mark a turning point rather than another missed opportunity.
Below is the full text of the open letter:
An Open Letter on Sports, Youth, and the Crisis of Sunshine Stars FC at the Half-Century Mark
Feb 3rd, 2026
His Excellency,
Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa,
Governor,
Ondo State.
Dear Sir,
Your Excellency,
As Ondo State marks 50 years of existence, it is appropriate to celebrate progress. But it is also necessary—indeed urgent—to confront areas where we have failed our people. Sport is one of them.
This letter is written not in hostility, but in concern, urgency, and responsibility to the youth of Ondo State.
I have elected not to remain passive out of respect to Your Excellency, and the legacy you will leave on the sands of time in the state and in Nigeria.
Talent Is Not Our Problem—Leadership Structure Is
Across Ondo State, from our schools to our communities, talent continues to emerge effortlessly. Young people still play, train, and dream—often without facilities, support, or pathways. That persistence alone should worry us.
For five decades, Ondo State has relied on raw talent and individual sacrifice, rather than deliberate systems. The result is predictable: promise without progress, effort without reward, and wasted youth energy.
Sunshine Stars FC: A Symbol in Distress
Your Excellency, Sunshine Stars FC is more than a football club. It is the most visible sporting asset of Ondo State, a symbol of identity, pride, and possibility.
Today, that symbol is in distress.
Let us be frank:
Sunshine Stars does not suffer from a lack of support alone—it suffers from structural weakness, politicised management, and the absence of professional governance.
No amount of emergency funding can rescue a club whose foundations are unstable. What Sunshine Stars needs now is not sympathy—it needs reform.
What Must Be Done—Now (A professional suggestion that is purely apolitical)
At this historic moment, I respectfully but firmly call on your administration to take the following actions:
- Declare Sunshine Stars FC a priority reform project
- Institute an independent audit and performance review of the club’s management
- Reposition the club with competent, professional leadership—not patronage
- Insulate football operations from daily political interference
- Set clear performance benchmarks and timelines
- Rebuild feeder pathways from schools and local academies, and complete the Akure Sports Complex with tracks
- Open the club to structured private, community, and diaspora partnerships
These are not radical demands. They are the minimum requirements for seriousness.
Beyond Sunshine Stars: The Bigger Picture
Sport in Ondo State has never been treated as:
• A youth employment strategy
• A health and social development tool
• A viable economic sector
Instead, it has often been reduced to announcements, ceremonies, and seasonal politics. This approach has failed—quietly but consistently.
At 50, Ondo State can no longer afford symbolic gestures. We need policy, structure, and accountability.
History Will Judge This Moment
Your Excellency, anniversaries pass. What remains are decisions.
The next 25 years of Ondo State will either be remembered as a period when leadership finally confronted hard truths or as another chapter of deferred responsibility.
Sport offers a rare opportunity to restore youth confidence, reduce social tension, project Ondo State positively, and create jobs and pride—but only if leadership acts decisively.
Closing
This letter is a call—not an attack.
A call to save Sunshine Stars FC from institutional decline.
A call to treat sport as policy, not a pastime.
A call to prove that Ondo State at 50 can still choose reform over rhetoric.
The youth are watching. History is recording.
Respectfully,
Kasali D. Obanoyen
Sports Advocate | Policy Analyst
Owo, Ondo State
