By; AYO OJEDOKUN, Lagos
After the successful hosting of the 5th edition of late MKO Abiola U-18 Boys Soccer Tournament in Abeokuta by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), the secretary of the Ogun State chapter of YSFON, Kehinde Adeyemi has clamoured for the legislation on the adoption of the MKO Abiola U-18 boys football competition as an annual event by Ogun State Government.
A bill concerning that according to Ogun YSFON Scribe has been submitted to the the Ogun State House of Assembly by the YSFON National headquarters, urging the legislators to pass the bill on the floor of the house to enable Ogun State Government adopt the tournament, just like Kano State did for Ramat Cup in memory of late Gen Ramat Murtala Mohammed.
According to him, “without any doubt, late Chief MKO Abiola has paid his price in the development of sports in Ogun state, Nigeria and Africa through his philanthropic gestures that later earned him the honour of being the first Pillar of Sports in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.”
Adeyemi who doubles as the Director of Sports Olabisi Onabanjo University, explained that late MKO Abiola also founded the then Abiola Babes of Abeokuta that made the ancient town of Abeokuta more popular throughout Africa sub-region of West Africa during the club campaign in the West African Football Union (WAFU) Cup competition.
“Former Green Eagles players like Tajudeen Disu and Dehinde Akinlotan both from Ogun state also benefited greatly from the generosity of Chief MKO Abiola as they were given scholarships to study in America by the Egba high Chief, MKO Abiola who became the first grand patron of YSFON”, said the Football Psychologist.
He added that, “Ogun state YSFON wants the Ogun state government to again commence the sponsorship of the late Bashorun MKO Abiola U-18 boys’ football tournament as an annual event like RAMAT Cup in Kano State and Oba of Benin Cup in Edo State.”
The just concluded fifth edition featured 12 states that qualified from the six geo political zones of Nigeria had its preliminary stages held in Dipo Dina Stadium Ijebu-Ode while the final match took place in Abeokuta at MKO Abiola International Stadium Abeokuta where Ogun state team defeated their counterparts from Kwara state by a lone goal to win this year edition of Late MKO Abiola U-18 boys football tournament.
