In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to promote youth development through sports, the Grassroots Movement for Tinubu (GMT), Ondo State Chapter, on Thursday, unveiled the Tinubu Sports Festival 2025.
The festival, unveiled at the Adeyemi College of Education Sports Arena in Ondo West Local Government Area, is designed to strengthen grassroots sports and create opportunities for youth empowerment across the state.
Speaking at the event, GMT Director-General in the state, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, said the initiative reflects the administration’s commitment to using sports as a tool for social reformation, economic empowerment, and national unity.
Yusuf-Ogunleye noted that under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigerian athletes are now being rewarded with national honours and incentives, marking a policy shift from symbolic gestures to real empowerment.
He said, “The Tinubu Sports Festival is not just about competition; it’s about engagement, discovery, and development.
“We are creating a platform where young people can channel their energy productively, build careers, and stay off the streets.”
He said the one-month festival will be held across five zones in the state and feature football, basketball, handball, volleyball, tennis, wrestling, athletics, and traditional games, culminating in a grand finale on December 6 in Akure.
According to him, the initiative also seeks to foster collaboration among government, individuals, and corporate bodies in building a better society.
The GMT DG expressed appreciation to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for sponsoring the programme and supporting young talents to achieve their dreams.
He said “Sports has gone beyond entertainment. It has become a business where talents are discovered and lives are transformed.
“Apart from mobilising for Asiwaju, this festival will engage our youths, take them off the streets, and help them build meaningful careers.”
Yusuf-Ogunleye said the month-long festival would feature various sporting events, including football, basketball, volleyball, handball, tennis, wrestling, athletics, and traditional games, with the grand finale scheduled for December 6 in Akure.
Also speaking, the Director-General of GMT in Ogun State, Tola Banjo, described the festival as a historic initiative, commending the Interior Minister for his outstanding contributions to national development and community empowerment.
The Director-General of the Asiwaju Mandate Group, Muyiwa Asagunla, noted that over seven Tinubu support groups were being sponsored by the minister to mobilise and galvanise support for the president, adding that the gesture reflected the government’s human-centred approach.
In her remarks, former Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu, described Tunji-Ojo as “a rare gem and a household name in Ondo State,” commending him for promoting President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda through tangible community-oriented projects.
The festival kicked off with a football match between Zion Warriors Football Club and Young Kings Football Club, with the latter emerging victorious by a lone goal