By: Ade Adeleke
The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has commended the First Lady of the State, Chief (Mrs) Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu for giving priority to development of sports of children through her initiative that led to an annual Ondo state Summer Tennis Clinic.
The Ondo State Summer Tennis Clinic is an annual sporting event aimed at grooming future champions and this year’s edition is the 4th of its kind.
The Deputy Governor also charged parents to encourage their children to take up challenges of building career through the Arabirin’s Ondo Summer Tennis Clinic.
Speaking at the Closing Ceremony of the 2021 4th Ondo State Summer Tennis Clinic, held at Akure Recreational Club Tennis Court, Oke-Eda, Akure, Hon Aiyedatiwa said there was a need for parents in Ondo state to support their kids who were benefitting from the Tennis tourney to achieve their goals of becoming world champions.
The Deputy Governor lauded the First Lady for sustaining Summer Tennis Clinic in the last few years.
The Deputy Governor said, “I commend her sense of leadership because she has shown that she earned her office as first lady of Ondo State”.
“Think of the Foundation for Wives of Ondo State Officials ( FOWOSO ), BEMORE, Empowerment Initiative and the Summer Tennis Clinic” .
“Even her own Foundation — the Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu Foundation and Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria ( BRECAN ) that has been on for over twenty-five years, they are all working in making life better for the people particularly the women” , said Aiyedatiwa.
On the Tennis Summer Clinic, the Deputy Governor said, “what the first lady is doing is to harness the talents of our young ones and exposed them to the world of Tennis” .
“Tennis sport is so lucrative just like any other sports… infact, sports generally has become a big business”.
“If they are to develop to the extent of playing at national or international level, they need serious and continuous training,” Aiyedatiwa opined.
In an address at the Tennis event, the wife of the Governor and founder of Ondo State Summer Tennis Clinic, Chief (Mrs) Betty Anyanwu- Akeredolu, commended the 2021 Ondo State Summer Tennis Clinic Management Committee headed by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa for organizing a memorable sporting event.
The First Lady expressed joy that her Summer Tennis Clinic had started yielding positive impacts in the state as one of the trainees is now the best in the southwest zone.
The Ada Owerri 1, who called on all well-meaning people in the state to sustain the vision by supporting the Tennis Clinic as demonstrated by Elder Teni Faromoju, explained that the Summer Tennis Club had taken many children off the streets to become state and regional Tennis champions.
She specifically expressed appreciation that more children are having their lives turning around positively particularly those from broken homes.
While seeking the supports of wealthy individuals and other corporate bodies, Mrs. Akeredolu said every well- meaning Ondo state person must take the ownership of the Tennis Clinic as it has come to stay.
She urged good spirited persons to fund the sporting event through donations of cash and tennis items like rackets and balls to support the children.
The First Lady had while inaugurating the committee said that “the challenge has remained funding. One could have thought getting children to participate will be a problem but that is not so. Most of these kids are children from impoverished homes, who are looking for avenues to excel. It is not all about money. You can gift us rackets and tennis ball which are all imported.”
In a welcome address, the Chairperson of the 2021 Ondo State Summer Tennis Clinic Management Committee and wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, represented by Mrs Morenike Alaka, thanked the First Lady for the confidence reposed in her and members of the committee to put together a befitting 4th tennis clinic.
Mrs Aiyedatiwa noted that trainees at the tennis clinic were carefully selected and expressed optimism that they would be trained stardom.
On his part, the Chairman of the Closing Ceremony, Elder Teni Faromoju, commended unprecedented impacts of Mrs Betty Akeredolu on children, womenfolk and the less privileged in the state and beyond through various initiatives such as BEMORE Summer Boot Camp, BRECAN and Summer Tennis Clinic
One of the highlights of the closing ceremony included; Tennis Exhibition Match between the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, and the First Lady of Ondo State, Chief (Mrs) Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu
Other members of the newly inaugurated committee include Mr. Lanre Famakinwa as vice chairman, Hon. Sunday Oladeji, Hon. West Ogunmolasuyi, Hon. Folawe Sipasi Aluko, Sir Ogechukwu Emmanuel Odor, CEO Cecil, Mr. Alex Uka, Special Assitant to Mr. Governor on Special Duties, Mr. Divine Ogbonnaya CEO Divine Sports Management, Mr. Mayowa Sunday, Tennis Coach, Akure. Mr Philip Egbuwa, Tennis Coach Ibadan; Ms. Tobi Fademi, Senior Special Assistant to Mr. Governor on Media as members just as Mr Seun Betiku and Mrs. Pamela Elekwachi are appointed as Coordinator and Secretary respectively.
It would be recalled that Ondo State hosted world heavyweight champions during the last edition of the programme in the state.
