A Member of The Osun state House of Assembly, Hon. Tunde Olatunji has said he is committed to promoting Ayo Olopon because the game has the capacity of boosting the economy of the state and nation at large if well tapped.
Olatunji who represents Ife North State Constituency made this known while featuring on the monthly Stakeholders’ Forum organised by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Osun state chapter on Tuesday.
The lawmaker, while calling for the promotion of traditional games like Ayo Olopon said he was poised towards making Ayo Olopon an acceptable game in the international community.
Olatunji who has been promoting Ayo Olopon in the last three years with full commitment to make it international game, declared that the pet project had boosted the mental, psychological and physical capability of students of the state who have been engaging in the Ayo Olopon game, courtesy the lawmaker.
The lawmaker organised Ayo Olopon for Middle Schools students and also equipped them with necessary facilities to make the game attractive to them.
He said the game was also a viable tool to reviving tge Yoruba’s cultural heritage and called on stakeholders and sport administrators to work assiduously to repackage the game .
Hon olatunji maintained that the game had the potential of changing economic fortune of the nation and remain a viable source of revenue generation for posterity if properly promoted.
According to him, all world accepted sports started from a stage before it acceptance in the international community hence it commitment to the game.
Meanwhile, the grand finale of the 2018 Ayo Olopon game sponsored by Olatunji was held last Wednesday at Ataoja School of Osogbo.
At the final rounds of the Tunde Olatunji Ayo Olopon competition, out of the 371 participants that competed in the qualifying rounds, Sixteen (16) finalists, who are middle school students spread across the three (3) senatorial districts in the state, competed for the Ayo Olopon Trophy.
Three winners and other finalists won Trophy, medals, African Attire, cash prizes as well as consolation prizes.
Speaking, the lawmaker resprseinting Ife north state constituency said, “In furtherance of our commitment and passion towards the promotion and preservation of our culture and heritage, I will equally be sponsoring four (4) other major cultural activities marking this year’s SUBEB ASA day celebration.
“These include: Ewi, Ijo Ibile, Ekun Iyawo, Aso wiwo yoruba (Fashion parade). All middle school students from our dear state will also be participating in these cultural activities organised by SUBEB.“It promises to be a great event, where about 1,000 students across Osun will converge to mark this year’s ASA day in grand style.
“Our students are gifted, their skills are amazing. Join us in promoting and preserving the African culture.”
