The Grassroots Movement for Tinubu ( GMT), Ondo State Chapter on Thursday unveiled the Tinubu Sports Festival 2025 aimed at strengthening grassroots sports across the state.
Speaking at the unveiling held at Adeyemi University of Education Sports Arena, in Ondo West Local Area, Saka Yusuf -Ogunleye, the Director General ( DG) of GMT in the state, said that the initiative was to showcase the giant strides of President Bola Tinubu.
Yusuf-Ogunleye said that Nigerian sportsmen and women were no longer being rewarded with a mere handshake but with national honour and other largesse.
The GMT DG noted that the sports festival, which would hold in five zones across the state, would afford residents of the state to be duly informed about President Bola Tinubu’s reforms.
According to him, the initiative is humanitarian, asking government, individuals and corporate organizations to work together and make the society work.
He thanked the Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo (BTO), for sponsoring the initiative by ensuring that dreams of young talents come true.
Ogunleye noted that sports had gone beyond an entertainment, describing it as a profession that is globally valued.
“Sports has gone beyond entertainment. Sport today has become a business where talent can be discovered and where people can be engaged.
“So apart from using it to mobilise for Asiwaju, it will engage our youths , you take them out of the streets, they become useful and they make life out of sport,” he said
He explained that the sports festival would capture various sport activities such as football, basketball, handball, volleyball, long tennis, wrestling local games and others and would last for 30 days.
He said that the grand finale of the sports festival would hold in Akure on Dec. 6, showcasing the passion of the president for sports.
Also speaking, the Director General of GMT in Ogun State, Mr Tola Banjo, described the sports festival as historic.
Banjo described the Interior Minister as a pride to the nation, saying that he had brought unimaginable reforms to the ministry, shaping the image of the country.
He stated that the minister through the initiative waa giving back to the community for humanity sake.
In his remarks, the Director General of Asiwaju Mandate Group, Muyiwa Asagunla, said that the humanitarian gestures were being extended to entire state.
Asagunla said that over seven support groups were being sponsored by the Minister of Interior to galvanize and mobilise for the president.
He commended the president and the minister for their vision Ian’s reforms in bringing positive changes to the entire country.
In her remarks, the former Secretary to the State Government ( SSG), Oladunni Odu, described the minister as rare gem, who had become a household name in the state and bringing into fore the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.
The festival kicked off with a football match between Zion Warriors Football Club and the Young Kings Football Club where the latter won 0-1.
Other sports for partocipation included; Ayo Olopon, Athletics, Wrestling, Handball, Basketball, Handball, Boxing, Table Tennis, Tennis among others.
