Ademola Jatto is the former Deputy Director, Kwara State Sports Council. In this interview with MIKE ADEYEMI, he speaks on how the present Kwara State Sports Council has retrogressed as well as urging the government to increase subvention for the council to meet up with its obligations. Excerpts:
How did you gets into Sports?
During my school days at Odo-Otin Grammar School, Okuku I was a distance runner. Then, I’m a footballer and also represented the state in athletics as a long distance runner.
How did you joined Kwara State Sports Council?
After my secondary school education, I went to Ilorin Teachers College in 1975. Later I joined Trillium School, Ilorin.
In 1977 I was posted to Okelele Primary School. In 1979, I joined Kwara State Sports Council as an Assistant Organizing Secretary. From there I started my carrier in Organising Division.
Later I went to college of education, Ilorin where I had my NCE. Thereafter to Ondo State University Ado-Ekiti for my degree. I specialises in Psycology.
At Kwara State Sports Council, I rose from assistant secretary to principal organizing secretary up to the Deputy Director, where I retired in 2010.
Can you mention some of your achievements as Deputy Director then?
Yes. During my time as Head of Organizing Division, I led Kwara State sports contingents to various National Sports Festival.
As organising secretary, I was also the secretary Table Tennis Association in 1979 where I led Table-Tennis players to Oluyole tourney in Ibadan. People like Lasisi, Omotara Titus are few our players then.
I was also the scribe, Volleyball for many years. Secretary Basketball Association for many years too. I have participated by organizing International Competition in Volleyball then too. I had led Kwara sports contingents to various competition
We were in Imo, Benue, Bauchi and many sports festival.
How would you compare Kwara Sports Council of then with now in terms of meeting up with its mandates?
It is appalling now that things have turned down comparing to those days. Sports Council then were able to meet up with its status optimally.
But unfortunately now, things are not what it should be. Government doesn’t give much encouragement, and this often time led to our athletes being snatched away by other States.
But am happy, the present administration has brought succor to these lapses. The Kwara State Governor is trying his best to move the Sports Council forward.
Did you retired from the Sports Council owing to statutory age cut off?
Yes. I retired after 35 years of active service in 2010 as a Deputy Director. As you said, I retired because age caught up with me.
How do you think the Kwara State Government can improve sports in the State?
We thank God that the present Governor is a listening type. And too, he is very active. If you invite him to any sporting events, he will ensure he attended promptly.
He has been encouraging sports in the state. I was told that the present Government has made adequate provision to Kwara Contingents to Edo 2020.
Are you saying the Government should increase her Subvention to the sports council?
Yes. The Kwara State Government should as a matter of urgency increase the monthly subvention to the sports council. This paucity have tampered their activities.
In those days, we had sports council across all the Local Government of the state. But what we had now is over concentration of everything at the state capital as a result of lack of funds.
If the Government could jack up the present meager subvention, it will go a long way to boost sports developments in the state.’‘
SPORTSLite With Mike Adeyemi
Could John Obi Mikel’s bravery over coronavirus spell the end of his football career?
The former Nigeria captain condemned the ongoing Turkish Super Lig, and could pay a bigger price than the termination of his Trabzonspor contract
For better or worse, John Mikel Obi has always been highly opinionated.
It is the quality that made him such a good captain for the Nigeria national team for many years, and endeared him to the fans. It also, at various points, led to an uneasy relationship with the Nigeria Football Federation; his propensity to speak his mind and stand on principle came to be regarded as evidence of a lack of respect within a very gerontocratic culture.
This time, almost a year removed from his international retirement, he is once again suffering personal injury for speaking out in the face of administrative recklessness. This time, it is from club Trabzonspor, who took offence at his latest comments decrying the lack of sensitivity of the Turkish football authorities.
High-profile personalities, including coaches (Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, for instance, was one of the first in the Premier League to test positive) and players alike (Callum Hudson-Odoi in England, Blaise Matuidi and Daniele Rugani in Italy, 35 per cent of the Valencia squad, several members of the Sampdoria squad, you could go on and on) have been hit by the virus, prompting the suspension of play altogether.
However, the Turkish Super Lig has ploughed on undeterred, initially bent on having fans in the stands before making a token concession and electing to play behind closed doors.
It is against this backdrop that Mikel took the Instagram to register his objection, stating he did “not feel comfortable…play(ing) football in this situation” and that “everyone should be at home with their families and loved ones in this critical time.”
“There is more to life than football,” he wrote.
Credit to him for saying what everyone else was thinking – Galatasaray striker Radamel Falcao agreed in the comments, and he cannot be the only one – but title-chasing Trabzonspor did not take kindly to what they apparently construed as a form of dissent.
Ergo: both parties’ decision to part ways. Any pretence of it being amicable is pretty much shattered by the fact that Mikel will receive no compensation, and agreed to forgo any other bonuses.
Beyond the satisfaction of being a martyr, and of once again sticking up for what he believes in, it is unclear precisely what direction Mikel’s career goes.
The former Chelsea man is still only 32, and his two daughters were born and raised in London, so a return to the England could well be on the cards.
While a career in the Premier League might be beyond him already
(never the most mobile, more of his acceleration has been shaved off over the last couple of seasons), he did make a favourable impression during a six-month loan spell in the Championship in 2018.
Playing under Tony Pulis must be the most difficult brief for a midfield player, but Mikel managed to emerge with credit, leading Boro to within a point of a promotion play-off place. A similar sort of short-term deal would seem the likeliest avenue.
Ultimately though, it is a decision that might be taken out of his hands altogether.
As the virus over which he has beat a retreat from Turkey spreads, it is increasingly difficult to chart a timeline for the conclusion of the current football season and the resumption of the next. Already, the European Championship has been moved back to 2021, and the resolution modalities for leagues around Europe remain unclear. Mikel turns 33 in April, and has stated previously he is not interested in playing far into his dotage.
As it happens, the coronavirus may have put an end, not only to Mikel’s stay in the Super Lig, but also his active football career.
