I’ll Prioritize Youths And Sports Development If Elected- Hon. Olakunle.

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: Labour Party Chieftain and the frontrunner in the forthcoming by-election to fill in the vacant seat created as a result of the demise of the former member representing Chikun/Kajuru constituency late Hon. Ekene Abubakar Adams, Hon. Olakunle Oluwafemi has promised to prioritize youths and sports development if elected to represent the constituency at the Green Chamber.

He made this known during a 5 Aside finals at Ungwan Romi in Chikun Local Government area of Kaduna State.

The football tournament which has been a yearly event for some years now is a model of example of grassroots sports and youths development to foster peaceful coexistence among the people and neighboring communities alike as well as catch talents at a tender age. Hon. Olakunle who co-sponsored the tournament says sports remains one of his top priorities to help the children realize their potentials in football at an early age.

He said sports development is aptly captured in his manifesto to always engage the youths. He re-emphasized that his focus is to take the youths off the streets through a robust policy. He reiterated the importance of constructing a football pitch, lawn tennis, basketball and volleyball courts in the respective wards in the constituency to make the youths self-reliant if elected.

Hon. Olakunle Oluwafemi who graced the final match alongside the Chairman of the party in Chikun Local Government area Yerima Ahmed Abraham; Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates of the party Hon. Bulus Bitrus and Hon. Shedrack Auta and other party faithful applauded the organizers of the competition saying such tournaments create bonds between people and further cement relationships.

The final match held at the Boys Brigade field Ungwan Romi saw the JYB FC of Lusawa, beating BLOODLINE Ungwan Sule, Romi on penalties after a goalless draw during regulation time. The match which ended 4 goals to 3 put an end to the dominance by BLOODLINE FC who were two times defending champions. The final also brought an end to a keenly contested tournament that gathered young football talents and youths clubs from various communities in the constituency showing exceptional skills and determination. The first position in the tournament went home with a trophy and the sum of #50,000, second position went home with a trophy and #30,000 while third position also got a trophy and #20,000.

Captain of JYB FC Emmanuel Edward attributed his team win to the power of teamwork after losing their first match at the beginning of the competition. “When we lost the first match, we had to go back to the drawing board and work hard on our lapses”. “This gave us an edge over our opponents till my team got to the finals of the competition”. He added.

Also speaking, captain of BLOODLINE FC Obed Charles says his team played very well but penalty kick is a game of luck in football of which any club can emerge victorious. In his words, “we shall go home and build a formidable team good at taking penalties so that we won’t repeat the same mistakes going forward”. “We won the trophy back to back in 2022 and 2023. Losing the trophy in 2024 through penalties shows we are still the champion”. He said.

In his address to the enthusiastic crowds, Labour Party Chairman in Chikun Local Government Yerima Ahmed Abraham underscored the significance of such tournaments in providing a platform for young talents to flourish and gain exposure. He emphasized Hon. Olakunle’s unwavering support for grassroot sports initiatives, highlighting the role they play in identifying and nurturing future champions.

The Chairman expressed gratitude to the organizers and co-sponsor Olakunle for organizing the prestigious tournament. He added that the event not only showcases the constituency’s commitment to sports development but also aligned with the Ministry’s strategic roadmap for youths and sports development in the state and country in general.