Ekiti State Dissolves Sport Associations’ Boards

 

ADO-EKITI-The Ekiti State government yesterday dissolved the boards of all sport associations in the state.

Chairman, the State Sports Council, Mrs Olusola Osetoba, made this known on Thursday in a statement in Ado Ekiti, the state capital

Osetoba in the statement made available to journalists said: “l am directed to inform you that all Board of Sporting Association in Ekiti Stand dissolved from today, June 9, 2021.

“Please be informed that a new board will be reconstituted in line with government new thinking of aggressive sponsorship drive and discovery of new budding talents, in preparations for the 21st National Sports Festival coming up in Asaba, Delta State in year 2022 and National Youth games in Ilorin

“Our recent performance at the 20th National Sports Festival can be improved upon with a virile and active sporting association,” the statement read..

Meanwhile, sports stakeholders are worried over the timing of the dissolution, as it was coming six days before the elective congress of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.

It is believed that the blanket decision was taken to stop a top member of the state athletic association from contesting the national federation elections.

They were of the view that the dissolution of the sports association can wait till national federation elections were concluded in Abuja.

The four-year statutory tenure of the dissolved boards as provided by the law was not also put into consideration since they were only inaugurated in August 2019.

Some of them have resolved stage protest against the decision which they view as another attempt to prevent an Ekiti indigene from holding a top position in the association.

Similarly, the South West Athletics Association has expressed dismay over the decision to dissolve Sporting Associations in Ekiti State.

According to Chairperson of the Association, Mrs Falilat Ogunkoya, it is worrisome that Ekiti State sport authorities always work against its citizens aspiring to occupy positions in the national sports federations.

Mrs Ogunkoya pointed out that it was becoming an unfortunate pattern, as similar issues happened in 2013 and 2017, calling on the State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi to stop the trend.