OYO SPORTS COUNCIL EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO GOV MAKINDE, SPORTS LOVERS OVER NSF SUCCESS

By Oluseyi Adedire

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The Oyo State Sports Council has expressed appreciation to the Oyo State Government under the leadership of Governor (Engr) Seyi Makinde as well as the good people of Oyo State for thier immense supports to Oyo State contingent at the just concluded National Sports Festival 'Delta 2022'.

Team Oyo finished fourth on the medals' table with 50 Gold, 52 Silver and 63 Bronze medals, claiming back thier rights and dominance over other South/West counterparts. The best position for Oyo state in the history of National Sports Festival was far back as Oluyole 79 when they finished third behind the defunct Bendel state and Lagos state.

Recall that Team Oyo came sixth at Edo 2021 with 31 Gold, 30 Silver and 42 Bronze medals above Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun but lost the fifth position to Lagos with a Gold difference at the last day of the events.

The Oyo State Sports Council through the Director for Organization, Mr Kehinde Ojelowo told OyoSportsNews shortly after their arrival back to Ibadan that determination, focus, hard-work, and discipline helped them the contingent in Delta above other states. He emphasized the support of the State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, the Ministry for Youths and Sports, Chairman Oyo State Sports Council Hon Gbenga Adewusi 'Arole' and also the General Manager, Mr Gboyega Makinde for thier immense supports before, during and after the 21st edition.

"Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the number citizen of Oyo state, His Excellency, Governor Engr. Seyi Makinde for his unrelenting support to us. With what we were given, I'm proud to tell you that we did very well than some states that came to Delta with billions of naira. The Governor has been supportive and this means if we were given more than what we got, more medals will be won as well."

"I must also appreciate our Chairman, Hon Olugbenga Adewusi 'Arole' and the General Manager, Mr Gboyega Makinde for their leadership skills especially when we thought we won't participate in this year edition, the instant cash rewards given to the athletes also helped to motivate others and you could see the results on the medals' table. To all staff both home and in Delta, this new feat couldn't have been achieved without you"

"Finally, on the athletes, they made us proud while at Delta. In fact, some states were asking us how Oyo did it and our reply was that, - God did it. For anyone to win a medal at the National Sports Festival, he or she must have fought hard because it's not a child's play so I want specially thank everyone of them, the discipline, concentration, determination and hard-work paid off. We look forward to meet the Governor anytime soon and show our appreciation."

Meanwhile, Oyo state medalists at Delta 2022 will be anticipating to see Gov Seyi Makinde with an assurance of cash rewards depending on the class and numbers of medals won. It would be recalled that Gov Seyi Makinde rewarded Edo 2021 medalists with N500,000 to each gold medalists, Silver medalists with the sum of N350,000 each, bronze medalists, N250,000 each while coaches were also rewarded.