FUBF donates soccer balls to 18 schools in Osun State

 

Family United By Football (FUBF) is a Sports Group on social media (WhatsApp) platform, and one poised for radical change in our sports, especially FOOTBALL and management in Osun State has donated soccer balls to 18 schools in Osun State.

Following the celebration of its 2024 FUBF Day, the vibrant sports advocacy group took a significant step to inspire other well-meaning individuals to support FUBF's longstanding commitment to grassroots football development.

The donation event held at the Osogbo Township Stadium was attended by several key stakeholders in Osun Sports, which includes the Senior Special Adviser to the Osun State Governor on Football Matters, Kehinde Johnson, General Manager Osun Sports Council, Rotimi Dunmoye, Director of Coaching and Training at the Osun Sports Council, Ademola Daini, Chairman Osun Players Union and Assistant Coach Osun United, Olapade Waheed, and other FUBF members. 

During the presentation of the soccer balls to randomly selected schools, FUBF founder Tunde Shamsudeen, a renowned sports journalist, football administrator, and Chairman FUBF Organizing Committee, Alhaji Olayiwola Olafiranye stated:

"We believe football has the power to unite everyone, awaken the self-worth of countless football talents in our schools, empower big dreams, and provide aspiring athletes with a reason to pursue a career in the beautiful game. 

"This initiative is part of FUBF's Community Social Responsibility (CSR) aimed at developing the physical and mental well-being of our youth while also serving as a platform for them to showcase their football skills. 

"Many students cannot afford quality soccer balls; at FUBF, we aim to change that narrative by providing these resources for our secondary school talents to play or train with during their long breaks and after school.

"We distributed a total of 51 soccer balls to 18 secondary schools in Osun State."

Kehinde Johnson praised FUBF’s initiative, noting that while the state government had planned a similar program, FUBF was the first to execute such a donation. He added that this action aligns perfectly with the state government’s plans to hold school competitions like the Principal’s Cup and Headmaster’s Cup next year.

Sunday Adeloye from Methodist High School, Ilesha, speaking on behalf of the Games Masters, expressed his gratitude: "We are very surprised with this kind of programme, because this is the first of its kind,” he said. 

“We’re planning on holding a football competition, and we’ve been looking for money to buy balls, but now the group has given us balls freely.” 

He assured FUBF that the footballs would be put to good use and appealed to the Osun State Sports Council to support outstanding student-athletes. 

The recipient schools are as follows: Fakunle Comprehensive High School (Osogbo), Olufi High School (Gbongan), Methodist High School (Ilesa), Ilesa Grammar School (Ilesa), Ibokun Grammar School (Ibokun), ADC Grammar School (Apomu), and St. Charles Grammar School (Osogbo). 

Additional schools include ADS Grammar School (Ifon), B.S. Grammar School (Ola-Ejigbo), Akinorun Grammar School (Ikirun), Inisa Grammar School (Inisa), Olofa Grammar School (Ofatedo), AUD Grammar School (Iwo), Anglican High School (Edunabon), St. Paul Grammar School (Ilobu), Muslim High School (Modakeke), Ido Osun High School, and Modupeolu Model School, Owode-Ede.

Excitement, glee as inaugural Osun School Sports Governor's Cup set for kick-off

 

As part of the overarching drive to put Osun State ahead of the curve in sports development through talent discovery and add a new dimension to sports development niche in the state, the maiden edition of the state School Sports Governor's Cup.

Ataoja School Of Science, Osogbo and  Orolu Commercial High School, Ifon Osun will square things up in the official kick-off billed for 10am on Tuesday at Ataoja Sports Complex, Osogbo.

The football tournament which is being sponsored by Peculiar Ultimate Concern Limited in collaboration with School's Sports Foundation, is meant to mainstream talent discovery in schools and designed for secondary school students participation to be hosted by the six(6) geopolitical zones of Osogbo, Ede, Ikirun, Iwo, Ife and Ilesha.

Kola Adewusi, Osun State Deputy Governor- Commissioner for Sports, and Osun State Commissioner for Education, Dipo Eluwole, are the guests of honour.

 

Speaking at the press briefing by the organizers of the competition, Coach Yomi Elijah and Alhaji Olayiwola Olafiranye of School Sports Foundation, said: "The competition will commence on Tuesday and its billed to run for two(2) weeks, subsequently it will be a state-wide annual event that will involve representatives from each of the local governments of the six(6) geopolitical zones. It will co-opt the students, principals and other sports stakeholders from each zone across the state. 

"Osun State is richly blessed with a pool of talents that are waiting to be taped and the best way to go about this is discovering them from schools. This competition is modeled along that of Principals' Cup, but with added touch to it. It will among others reduce youths involvement in delinquency and other social vices. 

"Rewards will be handed out to all participating schools and six(6) top teams will qualify from the zones to the quarter finals, while two(2) best losers will be picked to complete eight(8) teams on the quarter finals. Also, logistics will be provided to all the participating schools accordingly."

The Director of Coaching at Osun State Sports council, Ademola Daini, who was full of ecstasy and joy intoned; "The governor has approved feeders teams for the state's football clubs and other sports across the state. This School Sports Governors Cup will solidify and straighten the synergy to produce budding talents for these feeders teams. We are deeply grateful to the sponsors and organizers of this wonderful competition."

Meanwhile, the zonal qualifiers are to be hosted across the six(6) zones as thus:

Osogbo Zone—Ataoja School Of Science, Osogbo

Ede Zone—Ede High School, Ede.

Iwo Zone—Oluwo Stadium, Iwo

Ife Zone—Ife Anglican Grammar School, Ile-Ife

Ikirun Zone—Odo-Otin Grammar School, Okuku

Ilesha Zone— Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha

Osogbo will host the knockout rounds and the grand finale.