By Akeem Busari
As the momentum gathers for next week’s governorship election in Ekiti State, youths in the state under the aegis of Ekiti Youths In Sports (EYIS) have reiterated their desire to have a former governor of the state, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi win the election and return as the state’s governor.
In a press release signed and made available to the press by the groups’ coordinator, Bayo Olanlege, the youths with interests in football and other sports stated that Fayemi also fondly called JKF, holds the magic wand to revive sports in the state from its induced state of comatose.
” JKF is our unanimous choice for the exalted seat as Ekiti State governor,”said Olanlege.
” We are tired of the somewhat non existence of sporting activities in the state. The youths of this state have become despondent and pained by the apparent lack of government care and support for their future that obviously hinged on their sporting talents,” he quipped.
He went further to reel out some of the landmark achievements of Fayemi in sports, which he describes as ‘unprecedented’ in the history of the state.
According to the youthful and experienced sports administrator, during Fayemi’s tenure as governor, he created an enabling environment for sports to thrive in the state.
” To his enviable credits, he gave employment to 29 coaches with the sports council. He also supported the state’s owned team, Ekiti United by providing the team with a brand new bus, as well as increasing its annual grant from N18m to N50m.
He also supported the state’s governor’s cup and the principal’s cup with N5m and N1.5m respectively.
He continued; ” Amongst several other feats, he renovated the once abandoned Oluyemi Kayode stadium, as well as sponsoring the state handball team tova foreign tour.
“Importantly, too, JKF revived the Ekiti State sports festival that actively engaged over 10,000 youths of the state for a week.
He also rewarded medalists who represented the state with cash gifts and automatic employments,” Olanlege added conclusively.
