Ajakaye Pledges Grassroots Sports Development, Talent Discovery in Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency, Dr Rafiu Ajakaye, has pledged to prioritise grassroots sports development and talent discovery across the constituency if elected to the House of Representatives.
Ajakaye said the constituency was blessed with talented young people who could excel in various sporting disciplines if provided with adequate facilities, an enabling environment and the necessary support.
The immediate past Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor made the pledge while featuring on Kwara SWAN Sports Hard Talk on Monday at the Taiwo Awoniyi Sports Media Centre, George Innih Stadium Complex, Ilorin.
He explained that his proposed sports development agenda would cover football, table tennis, swimming, athletics and other sporting disciplines, stressing the need to look beyond football in identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, many gifted athletes remain undiscovered due to inadequate opportunities and support, making grassroots investment essential to building a sustainable sports development system.
Ajakaye commended the Kwara State Government for renovating the Offa Stadium, describing the facility as a valuable asset that should be fully utilised to promote sports and discover emerging talents.
“I am proud that His Excellency is doing fantastically in my own constituency, and that is the renovation of the Offa Stadium for the first time in many years. I am seeing that as an asset already,” he said.
He pledged to collaborate with the state government to explore opportunities to expand and maximise the use of sporting facilities in Offa and other parts of the constituency.
The APC candidate also promised to support local governments in participating effectively in state sporting festivals, noting that inadequate funding sometimes prevents some councils from competing optimally.
He said his intervention, if elected, would provide young athletes with better opportunities to represent their communities and showcase their abilities at sporting competitions.
Identifying the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) as a key stakeholder in achieving these objectives, Ajakaye emphasised that his proposed sports programme would focus on discovering and developing talents at the grassroots rather than concentrating solely on established professional teams.
He further promised to work with the Kwara State Sports Commission to organise talent-hunting programmes across the constituency, providing opportunities for young athletes in football, table tennis, swimming and other sporting disciplines.
The media practitioner said grassroots sports organisers would play a crucial role in the initiative because of their understanding of local talents, existing challenges and the support required to nurture promising athletes.
“These are guys who are basically the grassroots. They know where the challenges are,” he said, pledging to engage them in developing practical solutions to improve sports participation and athlete development.
He added that a well-structured grassroots sports programme could create opportunities for economic empowerment, community development and the emergence of future sporting stars from the constituency.
Ajakaye maintained that investing in young athletes and providing access to sporting facilities would help establish a stronger foundation for sports development across Ifelodun, Offa and Oyun.
