Mimiko
The Ondo State Governor,Olusegun Mimiko has been praised by the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick for his support towards football development in the state, even as the state has been announced as the choice host of the NFF 2016 Annual General Meeting.
Pinnick gave the commendation yesterday at the International Conference Centre, The Dome, in Akure ,during the unveiling of programmes of the Academy wing of the Ondo State Football Agency, (OSFA).
The unveiled programmes include the Goalkeeper Academy, Beach Soccer, Female League, U-15 Secondary School League and Community Shield, designed to discover talents in the state.
Pinnick said that Mimiko has continued to spend towards football development despite the harsh economic situation.
Congratulating Governor Mimiko on his government’s achievements in sports, Pinnick pledged the NFF’s support for the programmes of the state’s sports academy.
He also disclosed that the next Annual General Meeting of the NFF will be held in the state.
He declared:” By the power conferred on me as the NFF President, come October 2016, we will be having our AGM here”.
Responding, Governor Mimiko who thanked Amaju for identifying with the state, promised to continue supporting football and sports in general.
The governor while reiterating his resolve to take youths off the streets said: “You’re our today, you’re our future and we will do everything to safeguard you”.
Mimiko further charged the state’s football club, Sunshine Stars players and officials who were also present at the event to put more efforts into their quest to win this season’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
He said: “Sunshine Stars players we are hopeful, put your hearts together, you must get it.”
In his address at the event, the state Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Dayo Awude stated that the newly unveiled programmes are designed to discover talents, submitting that in Ondo State, “we don’t poach or hijack stars, we mould and export them to the world”.
Also speaking, the NFF Vice President, Seyi Akinwumi who coordinated the unveiling exercise, described the programmes as the opening of a new vista in football development in Nigeria, even as the chairman of the state Football Association, Otunba Dele Ajayi pledged the support of his association towards the successful execution of the programmes, adding that it is progress in the making and his association is proud to be part of it.
Also lending his voice, the Chairman of the state Football Agency, John Ola Mafo said the successful implementation of the programmes would aid the development of football in the state.
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