The newly appointed Chairman of the Ondo State Sports Council, Hon. Oladimeji Abimbola, has vowed to urgently restructure the council and revive the state’s dwindling sporting fortunes, declaring that there is no time for complacency.
Abimbola made the commitment during his official resumption of office in Akure, where he was joined by members of the council’s new board, Baba Tunde Martins and Ibitoye Matthew Abiodun.
He said restructuring the council would provide a clear direction for its operations while enabling the new board to identify and address the factors responsible for the decline of sports in the state over the years.
“We have to roll up our sleeves and swing into action immediately because the council needs our quick response. Our days have started counting,” he said.
The chairman expressed appreciation to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for appointing him to lead the council after a decade and pledged to align his administration with the Ondo State Government’s “OUR EASE” Agenda.
He identified the welfare of athletes, coaches and other sports officials, alongside the rehabilitation of sports facilities, as key priorities of the new administration.
According to him, the council’s area offices, which serve as the closest link to grassroots sports development, would be fully activated through the deployment of competent coaches and other personnel.
“Athletes, coaches and other officials’ welfare, as well as the rehabilitation of our facilities, will be our top priority.
Our area offices, which are closest to the grassroots, will be fully functional, with the deployment of competent coaches and other staff,” Abimbola said.
He, however, stressed that achieving the administration’s objectives would require the collective commitment of the council’s workforce and other stakeholders.
“But for us to make this work as envisaged, I am soliciting the cooperation of all staff, from management to the lowest cadre.
“We are going to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to achieve the set goal. The task ahead is not about me and other board members, but about all the sports-loving people of the state,” he added.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Amidu Takuro, pledged his support for the new chairman and expressed confidence in his ability to transform the council.
Takuro said Abimbola’s experience, coupled with the cooperation of the council’s staff, could bring about a significant turnaround in the state’s sports sector.
“I have no doubt in my mind that with the person of Hon. Oladimeji Abimbola and his team, with the cooperation of the staff, our sports will be great again,” he said.
The commissioner also commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for appointing what he described as a grassroots sports expert to oversee the council, saying the administration’s goal was to improve the lives of residents through effective governance.
“The vision of Mr Governor is to put smiles on the faces of the people of Ondo State, and I believe that with this current board, they can use the Sports Council to achieve that,” Takuro said.
Also speaking, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of OSRC Media Group, Mr Kenneth Stevenson – Odusola said Governor Aiyedatiwa had adequately prepared Abimbola for the assignment, revealing that the new chairman had recently undergone sports management training in Germany.
Stevenson- Odusola acknowledged the challenges that had affected sports development in Ondo State over the years but expressed optimism that Abimbola and his team would deploy their experience to reposition the sector.
He urged the chairman to remain consistent and innovative in the discharge of his responsibilities.
The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Hon. Taiwo Adegoroye, also expressed confidence in Abimbola’s experience, describing his appointment as a potential new dawn for sports development in the state.
Similarly, the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Comrade Ademola Odudu, called on Sports Council staff to give the new chairman their maximum support to enable him to implement his reform agenda.
The Chairman of the Ondo State Football Association, Otunba Dele Ajayi, advised Abimbola to avoid taking decisions on impulse, urging him to gather and thoroughly assess relevant information before acting.
Earlier, the General Manager of the Ondo State Sports Council, Mrs Evelyn Lebi, described Abimbola’s appointment as “a round peg in a round hole”.
Lebi assured the new chairman of the full cooperation and support of the council’s staff, expressing confidence that his experience and commitment would help reposition the organisation and restore Ondo State’s status as a leading force in sports development.