By Bukolami Flora
IBADAN – The board of the Oyo State Rugby Association has been charged to focus more on youth development so as to take the sport to greater heights in the state and the country at large.
The commissioner for youth and sports, Yomi Oke, gave the charge during the inauguration of the board in his office.
He asked them to seek sponsors in order for the association to have competitions with a promise that the state government will give the board all necessary support it require to succeed.
Speaking further Oke said, “what we are doing today is to channel a new course for rugby in the state and I have no doubt in my mind that with your experience, the sport will develop in the sate and beyond.
“Also, I can assure you of adequate support from us here as government, this will make you achieve but one thing is that your attention should focus more on youths development because we need to start form the basis “, he said.
Oke added, “you need to seek sponsorship but be transparent in all your spendings so that when we ask questions there won’t be any problem even though we are not going to meddle with your finances but as government we will ask questions and be ready to explain to us, that will only bring cordial relationship with us.”
Responding on behalf of the board, the chairman Mr Jide Afolabi while expressing appreciation to the commissioner for the opportunity to serve on the board assured that himself and board members are ready to hit the ground running with a lot of programmes which will be forwarded to his office soon.
He said already some schools in the state have been identified for use while some players have also been discovered to start with.