Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Bamidele Ologunloluwa says the state will host a six-team competition to discover a pool of indigenous talents for the state team, Sunshine Stars.
Ologunloluwa stated this at the final of the 2023 edition of Hon. Dele Ologunloluwa 7-aside Nations Cup Tournament played at the Ondo State Sports Complex Car park in Akure.
Team Senegal emerged champions after emerging top of the table ahead of other teams Mali, Egypt, Cape Verde, South Africa and Algeria.
The competition attracted both current and former players of the country’s premier league both within and outside the state participating in the competition.
Ologunloluwa said the competition would feature six indigenous teams from the state to pick talents for the Nigeria Premier League team, Sunshine Stars FC.
”We want to have our own super six competition in Ondo State, what we want to achieve is to discover more talents and to scout for them here, because I am commissioner for youth and also sports development, which is very important.
“We shall look inward this coming season, Sunshine Stars and Sunshine Queens are ours. We want more of home grown players.
“We will look for money to organise the competition, we will do it and it will be played at the stadium in the next two weeks,” he said.
Ologunloluwa appreciated the organiser of the competition, Sunshine Stars Captain, Abe Sunday, for standing by the team through thick and thin over the years.
The commissioner promised to continue throw his weight behind the tournament, announcing that it shall be a yearly event.
Also speaking at the event,Executive Board Member, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Otunba Dele Ajayi, said the major problem in getting enough tournaments was that sponsors were not many in the state.
Ajayi who is also the Chairman of Ondo State Football Association welcomed the idea of the local super six, saying, “it will engender football development.”.
He appreciated Ologunloluwa, saying he was the best commissioner appointed so far in the state.
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