By Femi Atolagbe
Ondo State Acting Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said the current government would continue to prioritise sports development and also pay premium on athletes welfare.
Aiyedatiwa stated this in his speech on Saturday at the occasion to commemorate the 2023 Olympic Day Run held at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure.
The acting governor has repeatedly maintained that sports was a good avenue for social interaction and integration amongst youths in the state and country at large.
He said the state would continue to espouse the objective of the Olympic celebration which among others was to promote national unity and grassroots sports development in the country
He said:”It is important to acknowledge the fact that the Olympic Day Run is primarily designed to encourage sports and the Olympic values of bringing together people of all ages and from all walks of life as a means of promoting national unity and grassroots sports development.
“I am delighted to note that the Olympic Day Run is an annual global celebration of the birth of the Olympic movement which everyone around the World play an active part in sporting activities and experience the Olympic values in their countries.
“As you are all aware, Ondo State is blessed with great talents that have contributed immensely to the national pools of athletes that have represented and are still representing Nigeria at International competitions including the Olympic Games.
“Several of them are doing the state and Nigeria proud in sporting events,” he said.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Bamidele Ologunloluwa, said the sustainability of the event was a clear indication that sport is a veritable instrument for the promotion of global peace.
“Ondo State sportsmen and women have always and will continue to key into the objectives of the Olympic Day Run which among others is to promote national unity and foster social values by bringing together hundreds of thousands of sports-inclined people across the globe.
“Today, people of all ages and from all walks of life across the continents share the Olympic spirit.
“The participation of the sports-loving Acting Governor of Ondo State, at this year’s edition of the Olympic Day Run, is a demonstration of the commitment of this administration to sports development in the state,” he said.
Also, the representative of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Mr Sylvester Ikuejamoye, added that sports keep the mind and body strong and healthy.
“On Olympic Day, we remember the creation of the Olympic Movement by our founder Pierre de Coubertin.
“He wanted to make the world a better place through sports. This is why Olympic Day is always the perfect opportunity to get up and move.
“This is the beauty of sport: it inspires the world to move, and it brings us all together as friends and as a community, no matter where we are or how we choose to move, ” he said.
