Gafar Alabi,

The Chairman of the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Evangelist Olalekan Ifede, has urged learners in Public Primary Schools across the State to believe in their abilities, participate actively in sports, support one another and embrace opportunities to discover their talents.

Ifede, gave the charge at a programme tagged ‘Say Yes to School Sports,’ organised by the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF) with the theme “Discover the Champion in Me,” at the Abeokuta Grammar School Pavilion, Abeokuta, noting that every child possesses unique talents, abilities and potential that could be discovered and developed through the right opportunities and encouragement.

Represented by the Board’s Permanent Member IV, Hon. Akeem Balogun, the SUBEB Chairman reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to creating an enabling environment where every learner could build confidence, develop discipline and achieve excellence in academics and extracurricular activities, including sports.

Evangelist Ifede, stressed that sports could provide a powerful platform for promoting teamwork, leadership, perseverance, respect and fair play, noting that the initiative would help identify and nurture young talents, develop learners’ abilities and prepare them to become future champions and responsible leaders in society.

He also commended the organisers, teachers, parents and other stakeholders for their dedication and commitment to making the programme a success.

Also speaking at the event, the President of the Nigeria School Sports Federation, Mrs. Olabisi Joseph, described the initiative as exciting, noting that the federation was advocating for mass participation in sports as a sustainable means of identifying talents at an early age, urging stakeholders in the education sector to embrace school sports and create more opportunities for learners to participate in sporting activities.

In a related development, the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board had organised a 1-day training programme for Local Government Education Authority Sports Desk officers and sports teachers in Public Primary Schools, with the theme;’ Building Competent Sports Educators for Safe, Inclusive and Sustainable School Sports’.

Declaring the programme open, the Chairman of SUBEB, Evang. Olalekan Ifede, represented by Permanent Member IV, Hon. Akeem Balogun, described the training as an opportunity for participants to enhance their knowledge and professional skills, urging them to apply the knowledge acquired during the training in their respective education authorities to improve the organisation and delivery of school sports.

The SUBEB chairman emphasised that learners’ safety must remain a priority during sporting activities and charged participants to identify and nurture sporting talents among pupils.

Also speaking, the Director of Academic and School Services, Mrs. Kehinde Anifowose, commended the participants for their resilience and support for the department, expressing confidence that the training would reinforce participants’ existing knowledge and improve their capacity to organise inter-house sports competitions and other school sporting activities.