By Afusat Agunbiade-Oladipo
Ilorin. – The Kwara Government has pledged to ensure the success of the upcoming 7th Kwara Sports Festival.
The state’s Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, made the promise on Tuesday in Ilorin during a meeting with the Main Organising Committee (MOC), led by its Vice Chairman, Alhaji Hameed Adio.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event is scheduled for Jan. 26 to Feb. 1, 2020.
Alabi commended the MOC for working round the clock in ensuring Kwara held its first festival, since 2005.
He charged the members to set good standard for its citizens in order to restore Kwara’s lost glory in sports.
The deputy governor underscored the need to engage the youths and also educate them right from the grassroots level, to help them reach stardom.
Alabi advised the MOC to be sincere and upright while carrying out their various activities during and after the games; which would engage the youths rapidly to stay away from all forms of drug addiction and social vices.
The deputy governor, who represented Kwara in handball during the 70s, restated the state government commitment to revamp all sectors, assuring that governor Abdulrazaq’s administration will offer total support for the successful hosting of the forthcoming festival and others.
Reacting to the deputy governor’s address, the chairman of the MOC thanked him for supporting, endorsing and also pledging his support for the festival.
Adio assured of staging a hitch-free championship that would help in the production of new generation of sports men and women.
He emphasised the need to bring key stakeholders on board in their quest for the task ahead.
The chairman stressed the need to help divert the attention of the youths away from social vices towards productive ventures.
On his part, the State Director of Sports, Mallam Tunde Kazeem, applauded the dep. governor for hosting the MOC.
He highlighted the aims and objectives of the festival to includes fostering unity among the 16 local governments and also preparation for the National Sports Festival tagged “Edo 2020” in March.
