BY OLUWATOSIN IGHOTEGUONO
Wife of Ondo state governor, Mrs Betty Anyawu Akeredolu has called on parents to encourage their children to get themselves engaged with one sporting activity or the other during the holiday to discover their God given talents.
Mrs Akeredolu stated this at Stella Marries College, Okitipupa while declaring open the 2022 Ondo state summer tennis clinic in the Southern senatorial district.
The summer tennis clinic is being organised by the office of the first lady in collaboration with the Ondo State Sports council.
Mrs Anyawu Akeredolu who said the holiday period should be used to acquire skills and more knowledge in different fields charged parents to ensure their children’s potentials were discovered and explored for self empowerment.
She noted that the present administration had demonstrated enough political will towards getting Children empowered with relevant skills and stressed the need to catch them young especially in the area of sports
Earlier in a Welcome Address, the chairperson 2022 ORGANIZING COMMITTEE of the Tennis clinic, MRS Olamide Falana had said that the annual tennis clinic was another greater initiative of Mrs Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu aimed at touching lives of the citizenry to adulthood.
Mrs Falana explained that the tennis Clinic is in its fifth year in the state but the maiden edition of the decentralized event in the south, north and central senatorial zones was to open minds of young ones to the endless possibilities and wealth in the world of sports.
“Sports is beyond a hobby, it’s a way of life and means of livelihood, however, many of us in Africa have been wired to believe that football is the only sports that can shoot our children to stardom.”
“There are stars who have risen to stardom from playing tennis. This is in addition to the other advantages of the game that encourages mental alertness, reduces ageing and promotes physical wellbeing”
She encouraged leaders in the south senatorial district to take advantage of this rare opportunity to groom giants from amongst the children by supporting the laudable initiative.
Also Speaking, chairman at the Occasion and the chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Okitipupa, Prince Jimi Odimayo appreciated the efforts of the wife of the governor towards giving the boy and girl child sense of belonging.
Prince Odimayo however charged the children to make judicious use of the opportunity in Tennis as those with Quality potentials would b be encourage.
In an interview, the coordinator of the Summer Tennis clinic, Mr Seun Betiku who said over three hundred children had registered for the program noted that more children could still be accommodated.
The program witnessed an opening tennis competition between the wife of the governor, Mrs Betty Anyawu Akeredolu and Prince Jimi Odimayo and it was in favour of her Excellency, displayed by the BEMORE girls.
Dignitaries are the event included the Jegun idepe of Okitipupa, Oba Michael Adetoye Adetuga, the Akooe of Ajue, Oba Bamidele Akinwe, Chairman Okitipupa local government, Mr igbekele Akinrinwa, chairman irele local government, Barr Segun Ajimotokin, Chairman odigbo local government, Mrs Margret Akisuroju, APC Chairman Okitipupa, Mr Bode ikulala, BEMORE girls, FOWOSO members, the iyalojas and registered children for the tennis clinic