#SPUnityCup Timely Towards Sport Development And Harmony In Nigeria – Onigbinde

As the unveiling ceremony of the Senate President Unity Cup, an under-20 football tournament to be kicked off in November this year in the Kwara State International Stadium Ilorin is fast approaching, the organizing committee of the tournament paid a courtesy visit to the father Of nigerian football, Coach Adegboye Onigbinde, at his residence in Ibadan today.
The visit, which was part of the committee’s pre-tournament consultations, was very fruitful as the highly resourceful football icon keyed into the tournament wholeheartedly.
Onigbinde, who opined that such national competition is efficacious towards not only a resuscitated sport potentials in Nigeria but also a catalyst in the harmonious coexistence of Nigerians. He also made bare that such a development, which is best regarded as “catches them young” at the grassroot, has been his dream for Nigeria since late 60s.
According to him, “I throw my full weight behind this timely and developmental sport initiative which is capable of resurrecting our lost potentials in Nigeria, empower Nigerian Youths and unite the North to the South and East to the West”
He disclosed further that, Ilorin, which is the hosting town of the tournament, is his second home, having taught Physical Health Education (PHE) in Mount Carmel College, Oloje Ilorin, in the 60s and being the founder of Kwara State Sport Council and naming of the famous football club called Ilorin Tigers in those days, which was financially supported by the late Oloye, Dr. Sola Saraki of the blessed memory.
He said, “coming to Ilorin to grace the football tournament is a homecoming for me for I can go from Ogidi to Eyenkorin to Oja-Oba to Garrage Offa and so on with my eyes closed and I am not surprised by the interest which our Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki, has in sports, especially football, for he took after his late father in that aspect”.
After the organizing committee Chairman and Secretary, Hon. Abdulrauf Abdulsalam and Mr. Abdulrasheed Ola Saraki respectively, outlined some of the programmes to be featured in the tournament, starting from the unveiling ceremony which is scheduled to come up on the 21st September, 2017, in Abuja, Coach Onigbinde also pledged to physically attend the unveiling ceremony which will come up in two weeks time.