Kunle Adelabu
The Chairman of the Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Mr Rotimi Erogbogbo has assured youths in Ikorodu, especially those into sports, that his leadership of the social and cultural organisation is ready to engage them from time – to – time to change the existing narrative.
Erogbogbo, who retired from the Lagos State Government as a Director, said that IKODASS will be hosting a sports festival where about seven indoor games will be hosted by August to engage youths of certain ages in Ikorodu.
He made this revelation when the coach and members of the Ikorodu Table Tennis Club paid him a courtesy visit at his office at the EROZ Place, Borokinni Street, Ikorodu on last Friday evening.
At the visit was 12 year old and JSS I student of the Oga High School, Master Mathew Kuti, who was adjudged the Most Improved Player of the 2021 NTTF Table Tennis National Championship in Abuja earlier in the year.
Kuti, who won in both Cadet and Mini – Cadet Categories of the tournament, was also presented with the Barrister Emma Ameh Memorial Award for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament in Abuja.
Also present at the courtesy visit were Ajasa Imole – Ayo , a 16 years female player and former student of United High School, Ikorodu, who also took part in the tournament in Abuja where she played in both senior and junior categories and made it to the quarter final stage and Master Atunwon Quadri and Mr Azeez Ibrahim, a former player.
The IKODASS Chairman said that the body will partner with the Director – General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Oluwatoyin Gafaar Bolowotan, and other sports promoters in Ikorodu to moving sports forward.
The visiting team, led by Coach Sunday Kuti, during the visit also solicited for support from the IKODASS Chairman and other well – meaning Ikorodu sons and daughters in the provision of training equipment, tournament support and participation.
“We are going to change the narratives starting with the IKODASS indoor sports festival which will feature games such as Table Tennis, Scrabble, Snooker, Chess, Ludo among others”, Erogbogbo said.
“There is hope for you and other young men in Ikorodu because you guys are the future of this great town. We will support, engage and empower you.
“Not that we have the resources stashed somewhere, but we are going to appeal to many prominent individuals to assist us because we are going to use the resources generated for development of youths and Ikorodu in general”, he emphasized.
“We are going to kit and support you in attending table tennis tournaments. We are going to partner and synergise with Bolowotan and other sports promoters in Ikorodu. He alone cannot do it, hence we will be available to provide support in that regard.
“We want you to carry lKorodu’s logo and propagate our values anywhere that you go. We are a sports loving town with impeccable records over the years in some games like table tennis, football among others.
“We will endeavour to bring back the good old days in sports in Ikorodu”, he said. Things will be better”, he assured the table tennis team.
Coach Sunday Kuti, while presenting the position of his team, said that Mr Bolowotan has been of immense assistance to the club but that they need the support of IKODASS and others in many areas.
“We have been without support for many years until Bolowotan became the Sports DG and has since been supporting us but we need support from others because he alone cannot do it.
“He was the one that returned us back to the Lagos team by registering the Ikorodu Tennis Club with the Lagos State Sports Commission. We were playing for other states before where we were getting support to keep going when that was lacking in Lagos.
“We need support in attending tournaments, acquiring training equipment and hosting tournaments in Ikorodu.
“Two years ago, we invited other champions from Ogun, Oyo, Lagos and other States to Ikorodu to play in a one – day invitational tournament which we won. It was LADAMOS that sponsored the tournament then”, he said.
“We need support in hosting the second edition of the tournament”, he requested.
It would be recalled that the Ikorodu team few back also participated in the National Table Tennis Championship held at the Teslim Balogun, Surulere, Lagos, where they gave good account of themselves.
