The founder of Ile-Ogbo Golf Course, Engr. Olanrewaju Abel Adeleke, his wife, Barrister Udochukwu Adeleke, former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Alhaji Khamis Tunde Badmus have called for private sector participation in sports promotion and development in the country.
The concerned veteran golfers made the call at the special sport tournament tagged “Independence Golf Kitty 2025” organised and sponsored by the management of LanreLeke Sports Academy, Ile-Ogbo, Ayedire Local Government Area, Osun State.
Speaking during the event, Engr. Olanrewaju Adeleke advocated improved participation in sports by more Nigerians to complement government efforts, saying “for Nigeria to compete effectively globally, all hands must be on deck to support government at all levels.”
“Today is Independence Day and for us here at LanreLeke Sports Academy, we celebrate the day with an annual golf kitty. We have competitions here to bring out the best from our people, both the professionals and the amateurs. We also have the kitty refresher course for golfers to encourage bonding among golfers.
“To advance sports in the country, there is a need for more private sector participation in addition to government intervention . LanreLeke Sports Academy has young Nigerians in SS1 to SS3 taking courses in different sports like athletics, football, basketball, handball, Volleyball, among others.
“We started with 20 members but today we have 105. The Academy is run by membership subscription and sponsorship.
“We have seasoned personnel trained within and outside this country managing this course and whatever challenges we have encountered we have been been able to tackle frontally with the experienced management in place.
“While it is incumbent on the government to create enabling environment, it is private sector participation that will create more opportunities in sports. “, Adeleke advocated.
Former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola applauded the management of LanreLeke Sports Academy for their consistency and commitment to promoting sports in the country.
Oyinlola said: “the reason for being part of this event is to identify with the efforts of Engr Adeleke in the promotion of sports in Osun and Nigeria especially the game of golf. As an individual, the establishment of an academy here where the old are being taught and young ones are learning, there is no magic to producing world stars if not through this kind of effort.
“We want to bring awareness to every Nigerian that there is a part to play in the promotion of sports in the country. No magic-wand will produce world stars but where there are facilities of this nature to groom our budding talents to represent us at world events so as to bring honour to our country. There is no magic to achieving success in sports other than what this academy is doing. Today we have Sunday Olapade who is a renowned golfer in the world and first in Africa. If not what the likes of Chief Tunde Ponle and Adeleke are doing, no one knows that a world class sportsman can come from there.”
Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Alhaji Tunde Badmus, also extolled the founder of LanreLeke Sports Academy for promoting sports in the country and beyond saying “we are proud of the tremendous contributions of this academy to local, national and international sporting activities.”
The co-founder, LanreLeke Sports Academy, Barrister (Mrs) Udochukwu Adeleke, said the purpose of the annual sports tournament is to celebrate the independence day with utmost goal of advancing sports in the country.
“We always have a golf tournament on a significant day like this where we have champions all over the country come for the tournament. Apart from the golf course we also have educational facilities here, we have a wold class secondary school. As you can see, indigent students are here. Many of them are on scholarship and it is our own way of giving back to humanity. We have realized that people depend so much on government, that is why we have been doing this to give back to the society. We have a Non-Governmental Organization to support health sector too”, she stated.
The event was attended by notable golfers and sports stars such as, former Deputy Governor, Mr Benedict Alabi, Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Wale Egbedun, Justice Jide Falola (rtd.), world football legend, Mutiu Adepoju, Navy Captain Lateef Kolawole Jimoh (rtd.), Justice Kola Adegoke, Oba Dairo Jacob Olutayo, among others.
