The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye; AVM Lanre Ibrahim Oluwatoyin; Engr. Nurudeen Adeyemi (ENACT); Alhaji Olatunji Mohammed Elado; the General Manager of Radio Kwara, Alhaji Kayode Aremu; and Engr. Araba Femi Sanni, CEO of Flow FM and Stefolga Group, on Wednesday in Ilorin received special awards of recognition for their contributions to sports development in the state.
The awards were presented at the end-of-year programme of the Kwara State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), held on Thursday at the Taiwo Awoniyi Media Centre, George Innih Stadium, Ilorin, the State capital.
The event also featured a Personality Lecture in honour of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, delivered by ace broadcast icon and Olympian, Hameed Adio, who highlighted the milestones recorded by the present administration over the past six years.
Speaking on the theme, “6 Years of Purposeful Leadership: Rebuilding Institutions, Empowering Athletes, and Positioning Kwara for Sports Excellence,” Adio said the administration had invested over ₦2 billion in the upgrade of the indoor sports hall at the stadium. He added that the present administration has also constructed twin squash courts, a standard table tennis arena, as well as renovation of outdoor courts for volleyball, basketball, and handball.
According to him, the developments have strategically positioned Kwara State to host international championships, while he challenged national sports federations to bring their competitions to the state.
Adio also commended the administration’s commitment to football development, citing the re-grassing of the Rashidi Yekini Main Bowl and the total overhaul of the dressing rooms, toilets, medical bay, and media centre. He noted that these upgrades helped secure CAF approval of the stadium for continental competitions, with the support of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
He further stated that Kwara United Football Club, under the leadership of Chairman Kumbi Titiloye, has consistently maintained its Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) status over the past six years and has featured twice in CAF competitions, attributing the club’s stability to the financial backing of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Earlier, in her goodwill message, the Chairman of the House Committee on Sports at the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Rukayat Shittu, expressed pride in being a Kwaran, describing the governor’s achievements in sports development as commendable.
She assured that the House of Assembly would continue to support the executive arm of government through policies and legislation aimed at advancing sports development in the state. Hon. Shittu also congratulated Kwara SWAN for using its platforms to project government programmes and urged the association to sustain the tempo, reaffirming the government’s commitment to transforming sports in the state.
Dignitaries at the event included the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Mallam Bola Mogaji, represented by Tsado Haruna; Chairman of Kwara United, Mr. Kumbi Titiloye; FA Chairman, Mallam Idris Abdullahi; General Manager of Kwara United, Mallam Bashir Badawiy; former Director of Sports; and Coach Tunde Kazeem, among others.
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