A member of Ogun State Civil Service Commission, Hon Adewale Ojuri as well as his counterpart in the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) Hon Adeleye Ademola have both called for greater investment in grassroots boxing tournament aimed at fishing out talents that could ultimately win laurels for the country.
Hon Ojuri and Adeleye made this call while speaking with journalists at the sideline of Bet9ja grassroots boxing tournament held at Abusi Edumare School field, Ijebu Igbo over the weekend.
Hon Ojuri who once represented Odogbolu constituency at Ogun State House of Assembly said "sports generally is now a money spinning venture, it's one sector of the economy that has the capability to take many youths off the street with many of them ultimately becoming stars making names for themselves and doing the country proud.
"It is against this background that I want to call on other organizations, privilege individuals in our society to take a cue from Bet9ja and team up with government to further develop our sports, particularly, boxing so that we can take back our front seat in this game".
Speaking in the same vein, Hon Adeleye said kudos should be given to the operators of Bet9ja in the four local governments of Remo North, Ijebu North, Ikenne and Odogbolu for picking on the boxing tournament as way of helping to further revive and create more awareness for the boxing game at the grassroots.
He said "the importance of sports in youth development cannot be overemphasized. It's one rich platform for the youth to utilise their overwhelming energy productively. Rather than engaging in vices like cultism and the likes, they channel such energy towards efforts that will take them to the top becoming models for others like Anthony Joshua, the world champion and record holder, Tobi Amusan and the rest.
"I really want thank our brother, Mr Kunle Soname, CEO of Bet9ja for doing so much to help develop our sports industry and it is on that note that I am also calling on other organizations as well as individuals to invest more in the development of boxing, particularly at fishing out raw talents from the grassroots while also helping them with standard training to become professionals and stars for the country"
Speaking on behalf of the organisers, Mr Adesegun Akinbowale fondly called Orlando as well as Mr Alade Surulere Johnson, said the boxing tournament was another way Bet9ja is helping to further develop the sporting industry while also telling the youth that they could really make judicious use of their energy to bring them fame and money when they engage in sports.
Mr Adesegun Akinbowale said "aside the numerous health benefits of sports, it's also what unite us all, it's also what many youths have embraced and had catapulted them to the top becoming models for others like John Mikel Obi, Vincent Enyeama among others. I plead with our youths to stay away from vices that could lay in ruin their tomorrow, they should embrace sport to showcase their budding talents and other individuals and organisations too should join Bet9ja to create a more rewarding future for our teeming youths".
The Coordinator of the event, Mr Ayoola Babatunde hail the CEO of Bet9ja, Mr Kunle Soname for sparing no efforts to give Nigerian youths a glorious future through support for development of sports.
Babatunde said "it is quite glaring that not all of us will get white collar jobs but as youths, we can develop our sporting talents be it boxing, football, it can even be our athletic talents like Tobi Amusan did to be the world great.
"This is why other organisations and individuals too should join efforts with Bet9ja to sponsor and support initiative like this to give platform for the youth to showcase their budding talents and ultimately be polished to become stars and professionals".
Highlight of the event included presentation of cash gifts and trophies for those who participated in the boxing tournament.
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