Rigidity mounted on Tuesday on the Ondo State Sports activities Advanced, Akure, as sports activities unions, coaches, and athletes staged a protest in opposition to the appointment of Mrs. Evelyn Lebi as Performing Basic Supervisor of the Ondo State Sports activities Council.
The protesters expressed issues over the way forward for sports activities administration within the state, urging the federal government to rethink the appointment.
Addressing journalists, Coach Fisayo Bello, Coordinating Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Public Firms, Civil Service Technical and Leisure Companies Staff (AUPCTRE), stated the sports activities sector required “a reliable technocrat with ardour and imaginative and prescient” to revive its previous glory.
“We’d like somebody with ardour for sports activities who can take us again to our superb days, not backwards. She contested 4 years in the past; we stated no then, and we’re saying no now,” Bello stated.
Supporting the protest, Osifo Moses, Vice Chairman of AUPCTRE and a boxing coach, burdened that the council deserved a good and dedicated administrator who would prioritize athletes’ welfare and improvement.
Equally, Comrade Joshua Ogunbiyi, Chairman of the Ondo State Skilled Coaches Affiliation, clarified that the protest was not directed at Governor Fortunate Aiyedatiwa, whom he described as supportive of sports activities, however particularly at Lebi’s appointment.
Ogunbiyi cited Lebi’s prior tenure over a decade in the past and repeated makes an attempt on the place as causes stakeholders doubted her means to revitalize the sector. “We wish somebody vibrant and competent who can revive sports activities improvement within the state,” he stated.
Athletes additionally voiced their issues. Mr. Idowu Afun, Basic Captain of Ondo State Athletes, appealed for a frontrunner who would encourage confidence amongst sports activities stakeholders.
Responding to the protest, Commissioner for Youth and Sports activities Growth, Mr. Henry Omoyofunmi, dismissed the demonstration as pointless. He described Lebi as a professional skilled with over 15 years’ expertise on the Sports activities Council, presently serving as Director of Sports activities within the Ministry of Youth and Sports activities.
Omoyofunmi defined that her appointment adopted correct civil service procedures after the expiration of the previous normal supervisor’s tenure. He expressed confidence that Lebi’s management would strengthen fairly than hinder sports activities improvement in Ondo State.
The standoff highlights ongoing tensions between authorities selections and sports activities stakeholders, because the state navigates management modifications geared toward reviving its athletic applications.
