Top officials of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria(YSFON) have showered praises on the late Pillar of Sports in Africa,Bashorun Moshood Kashimaawo Olawale Abio la saying he should be more honoured by the Ogun State Government for his numerous contributions to the development of sports in the country, particularly in the state
Lagos State Football Association's technical director who is also the Chairman of YSFON Lagos State,Hon. Tajudeen Disu in an interview with Journalists during the opening ceremony of the fifth edition of YSFON/MKO Abiola U-18 National football Championship at the Dipo Dina Stadium Ijebu-Ode,says '"Bashorun MKO Abiola deserves every honour we can accord him, especially in the sports sector where he did a lot for the State,the country,Africa and the entire world"
The ex-international who played for Abiola Babes and Leventis United in the 80s recalled that he was the brain behind the staging of the MKO Abiola Cup in the early 2000s when he was then the Ogun State YSFON Chairman,before he traveled Abroad.
He was full of praises for the present Executive of YSFON Ogun State Chapter,especially its Chairman,Alh. Waheed Lawal for bringing back the championship
"Anything that has the name of MKO Abiola,I just want to be part of it,because I'm a direct beneficiary of his magnanimity,as he personally sponsored my education abroad while I was playing for Abiola Babes.Not me alone,he did same for many of my colleagues,so every honour accorded him,I think he deserves more", Disu said
"Ramat Cup in honour of Late General Murtala Muhammed is been bankrolled by Kano State government for decades,I think it's mandatory for Ogun State Government to similarly honour the Late Business Mogul", he insisted
Speaking in the same vein,the Ogun State YSFON Chairman,Alhaji Waheed Adeoye Lawal went memory lane when he reeled out Chief MKO Abiola's giant strides
According to him,"MKO Abiola was life Patron of YSFON and the first African Pillar of Sports installed in 1982 in Dakar Senegal.Abiola was Proprietor to three football clubs;Abiola Babes,Concord FC and ITT FC,he also bankrolled Kakanfo Queens for his wife.Abiola was the first club owner that increased salary of his player by 200% as he also gave them car loan of twelve thousand naira each in 1982,while he flew injured players abroad for proper treatment"
Lawal who is also the President of All Stars Football Club Abeokuta and Patron Athletic Federation,Ogun State Chapter revealed that the competition was revived, following the mandate given to the chapter by the national body of YSFON
"Abiola singlehandedly bankrolled the sponsorship of the Annual Ramat Cup in Kano in honour of his late friend and Head of State,General Murtala Ramat Muhammed,he did that for years,before his death in 1998 and since then,the Kano State government has taken over the sponsorship and it has been a consistent yearly event for over three decades, "he recalled
Lawal expressed confidence that the MKO Abiola Under-18 Cup has come to stay as an annual event,he disclosed that plans are in top gear to make the Ogun State government adopt it
Also speaking,the former Ogun State House of Assembly's Committee Chairman on Sports who is the Vice Chairman of Ogun State YSFON,Hon. Wilfred Olufemi Allen-Taylor disclosed that talks are ongoing with the present House Committee Chairman on Sports,Hon. Igbalaye 'IWA' who coincidentally is from the same constituency with him,Abeokuta South,on modalities to legislate on the MKO Abiola's Cup and make it a law for the State Government to adopt
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