By Akeem Busari
One of the front runners for the Ekiti FA chairmanship post, Bayo Olanlege, has hit the grounds running and making strong mission statements.
Speaking with the press, Olanlege disclosed plans to take Ekiti football to new and higher heights with several laudable programmes that included encouraging and empowering grassroots football coaches through seminars,workshops and also supporting them to obtain necessary certification.
According to the vastly-experienced football administrator, the major priorities of his board would be the development of grassroots football and with several competitions aimed at the U13, U15 and U17 boys and girls.
” We shall give priority to development of grassroots football by creating opportunities for the young kids to learn, compete and develop their talents.
” We shall create the Ekiti state youth league for U15 boys as we believe the best time to impact the youths as far as technical, tactical and physical aspects of football is this age,” Olanlege stated.
The successful businessman and general manager of Phoenix Athletics Sports Club, further disclosed that his board shall work assiduously in concert with the Ekiti state government to help it actualise one of the four point agenda.
” We shall work with the government of Dr. John Kayode Fayemi to help it achieve success in the area of Social Investment which is one of the 4 Pillars of his Administration using football and sports in general as a major tool.
“We shall also use the public- private partnership concept to drive our programmes,” he enthused confidently.
Olanlege who is the general coordinator of Ekiti Youths In Sports (EYIS) a group that rallied over 10,000 youths to support Governor John Kayode Fayemi in his election, is optimistic that his board would make football in Ekiti state enviable and viable.
