Ondo State Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, on Saturday reacted to recent comments by wrestler Odunayo Adekuoroye that the state government did not support other sports aside football.
Adekuoroye had in an interview said the state government neither supported nor fulfilled promises made to other sports men and women but was only promoting Sunshine Stars Football Club.
The Ondo State-born female wrestler also said she had moved on to join the Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM) Wrestling Club of Lagos.
She had added that she was going to represent the club at the next edition of Gov. Seriake Dickson Wrestling Championship.
Yusuf-Ogunleye, at this month’s edition of the Nigeria Association for Physical, Health Education, Recreation-Sports and Dance (NAPHER-SD) walking-Jogging exercise in Akure, said the state government had always supported Adekuoroye.
The commissioner said the state discovered Adekuoroye and gave her all the necessary support to develop her to stardom.
“I was in Lagos with Adekuoroye and her coach, Purity Akuh, about three days ago. I didn’t know this was coming. But we wish her well, and we won’t be a stumbling block in anybody’s ambition.
“However, we discovered her, employed her and we have been doing everything humanly possible to ensure we support her. But if she decided to leave and we can only know about it on the pages of newspapers, I think it is something to be worried about.
“But we will move forward, as there will be more ‘Odunayos’ to be discovered. We wish her good luck in all her future endeavours,” he said.
Also at the occasion, the State Coordinator of NYSC, Grace Akpabio, who was the captain for this month’s edition of the walking-jogging exercise, thanked those who participated in the exercise.
Akpabio advised participants to always exercise themselves in order to improve their general well-being.
“Exercising your body, improves your mood and reduces depression. So, I will advise all of us to always participate in this kind of event,” she said.(NAN)
