Kunle Adelabu
-Ex – stars commend initiative as residents defy downpour
The Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Comrade Sesan Daini, residents, ex – internationals and others, on Saturday, April 29, 2023, defied the heavy downpour to attend the 12th edition of the Oldies Appreciation Game and Family Funfair.
At the game, authority of the Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA), pledged partnership and collaboration with the organisers in sustaining the annual event and making it a tourist attraction in Igbogbo.
Daini, Chairman of the LCDA, making the pledge at the 12th edition of the event which held at the United Methodist Primary School (Eleja), Igbogbo, said that the sporting and entertaining event has the potential of attaining a huge tourism level and attract economic values for the community.
Many ex – internationals and veteran players attended this year’s edition which also featured many other games and events.
At the event, the novelty football match between players of the Amputees Federation of Nigeria ended 4 – 0, while the game between veterans – Olubee and Comfort Hedge ended 4 goals to 3 in favour of the Olubee. The highly entertaining match featured the likes of Wasiu lpaye, Taiwo Oloyede, Moses Obafemi and Rasheed Oberefe.
Many children that attended the event also had fun – filled moment with bouncing castles, swimming pool and games of different kinds.
Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, who is also the Chief Host of the well-attended event, in his speech, commended organisers for the initiative, and pledged the council’s support in subsequent editions.
“I appreciate the brains behind this initiative. It is commended and something that we should all support and do all within the capacity of government and individuals to encourage and make a success out of it. Specifically, I would like to thank Ademola Ogunleye, Tolu Faniyi, Ewulogbo, Taiwo Oduntan and all others”, Daini said.
“This, by God’s grace, has come to stay. The organisers met with the local government and we had discussions. Because of the time bound, we couldn’t achieve all that we would have done to make this more elaborate and successful. We did what we can and I will assure that I will still do more after the event because I can see that you still need more support”.
The council boss said that the initiative is capable of improving the tourism development in Igbogbo and enhance the community economically.
“Going forward, the partnership and all other collaborations that we have talked about, we will sit down to fashion how to execute them”, he said.
“The potential in this is that it can attract tourists and businesses to our community. So, we would do more to make sure that this makes tourism and business thrives more in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA. Congratulations to the organisers, and I am also congratulating myself that this is happening under my tenure and by God’s grace, when I am no longer in the office, I will still continue to deem it fit to continue to play my part to make it successful.
“I want to thank everyone for coming and participating. I also thank all the sponsors and all those that came from the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA to celebrate with us”.
Chairman, Local Organising Committee of the event, Prince Ademola Ogunlewe, said that the long term plan is to ensure that the annual game and funfair, is bigger and turns into a tourism hub.
He thanked the Igbogbo/Bayeku council boss for pledging his support annually for the game.
“This rain is a shower of blessings, and we are enjoying the moment. We started this game very modestly and we intend to make it a tourist event yearly”, he said.
“We are grateful to the Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA for adopting this event. Going forward, the event will still be bigger than this. We are just scratching the surface because we have not started yet. We are going higher than this.
“Today, we have so many veterans and ex – international players, veteran referees and sportsmen and women. What we intend doing is to continue to celebrate them. They deserve it. We believe that as a community and as a council, we will still do a lot more to appreciate these people and create an atmosphere of relaxation for everyone”, Ogunlewe said.
Mr Moses Ajiboye Obafemi, a coach of over 25 years, who partook in the novelty match, speaking with THE IMPACT, commended the initiative.
He appealed for support from corporate bodies and individuals in making the annual event more elaborate.
“We have been part of the innovation and I like it. It is a good thing and I wish to make it consistently an annual programme for us to see old friends and colleagues as I am seeing today”, he said.
“I am very happy seeing them and I can see that they are very much alive and I want to see more of them. Life is very short. It is a good programme.
“I will love to see the event more elaborate in the subsequent edition. I will see if we can get more ex – internationals, more publicity and more involvement and participation by sponsors so that it can be more lively.
“We want this venue to be decorated with brands and more people and noise. Let’s invite people from Lagos and outside the state. It can be economically benefitting if necessary things are done”, Obafemi said.
Wasiu Babatunde Ipaye, ex – international who played for the Super Eagles during his days, said that he was impressed with the game.
“I am really impressed. The initiative is not bad at all, and the Chairman has given assurance that the council will continue to support the organisers and will continue to support even after his office”, he said.
“It’s great seeing some of my old colleagues here. They too belong to various All – Stars teams and they have been training. I believe that some of them that do not have the opportunity to play may be due to the weather and are not happy because they are enjoying what we are doing on the field.
Speaking on his expectations in subsequent editions, Ipaye said:
“I believe that there will be a better game in the forthcoming edition. I expect many sponsors, both corporate and individuals, because this event can go a long way, and it would be a boost for us in Ikorodu. I am an Ikorodu boy and very proud of it”.
Ahmed Emmanuel Ibaochi, captain of the Amputees team, who is playing in zonal competition with others at the moment, described the game as wonderful.
“It’s a wonderful experience here for us. We saw many people coming out to watch our game. We are so excited and excited”, he said.
