…says he is bent on catching them young.
By Sunday Daramola
An Orin Ekiti born philanthropist, based in America Dr Ayodeji Ayodele Dada has organised a football championship among Secondary Schools in Ido Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State to promote sports development at the grassroots level.
The competition tagged, HAYODA football competition featured some Secondary Schools students from Ifaki, Ora, Orin, Ifisin, Ido, Usi, Aaye, Igbole, Ilogbo and Aiyetoro Ekiti
The over four weeks maiden edition of the football haunt was a period for talented players to display their talents and also an avenue to take the youths out of crimes and cross examine ideas that would be of inmense benefits to them in their academics.
After series of intriguing and explosive duels between various opponents, lads from Ifisin High School, Ifisin Ekiti and Ekiti Parapo College, Ido Ekiti emerged as the eventual finalists and after a one all draw at the regulation time, Ifisin High School, Ifisin Ekiti became Victorious via penalty shootout with 4 – 3 goals.
The overall winners, Ifisin High School, Ifisin Ekiti went home with #100,000 while Ekiti Parapo College, Ido Ekiti won #75,000 as the first runners up and Orin High School, Orin Ekiti came third and benefited #50,000, as the winner of the third place match.
The highlight of the occasion was the Presentation of Award to the Winner, 1st Runners Up, 2nd Runners Up, consolation prizes for best footballer of the tournament, highest goal scorer and best behaved team among litany of other prizes.
According to Dr Dada who was represented by one of the Organizers of the Football competition, Mr Dimeji Owolade ,the need to empower youth in various communities in the Area had motivated him to initiate the tournament.
The Sponsor who said football was one thing that brings people together and promote peace commended members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for organizing a successful championship, assuring that the Foundation would continue to provide all the needed logistics for subsequent tournaments meant to discover and nurture young talents in the localities to stardom.
“This is the first edition of the competition, it is a continuous process, the youths are my target and with tournament like this we will be able to identify talents and impact on them, the good ones that we will see among them, we will pick them and take them to the next level, he said.
“I believe with the initiative of HAYODA FOOTBALL COMPETITION, gradually we are going to take them off the street, one by one and it will also dissuade their minds from anti social vices,” he stated.
Also in their separate remarks, the Secretary of Ekiti State Football Association, Mr Deji and the Country Supervisor of PYDEF Mr Samson Falajiki both commended Dr Ayodeji Ayodele Dada for putting the competition together.
The players were also grateful to Dr Dada for putting up the tournament and prayed for God’s guidance and support for him, to be able to improve on the tournament.
Some spectators during the Final of the Maiden edition of HAYODA FOOTBALL COMPETITION applauded the initiator and his team for reviving the old tradition of inter school football competition among Secondary Schools in the Area.
” It’s been awhile since we have this feelings, when we were Young we can still recollect how we go as far as neighboring Communities to play football, but it is sad the tradition is fast eroded, so we are happy that Dr Dada is trying to reawaken the feelings, they said.
They urged the Organizers to ensure that the subsequent tournaments be enlarged to accommodate more schools in the State.
