The football community in Ilejemeje, led by Hon. (Chief) Ebenezer Oladipo, a former Executive Chairman of the Local Government and current board member of the Ekiti State Football Association, has expressed strong optimism that the Prof. Akin Oyebode Cup will produce world-class talents from Ekiti State.
Speaking while hosting Mr. Pelumi Abiara of the tournament’s organising committee during the ongoing grassroots sensitisation tour in Iludun Ekiti, Hon. Oladipo called on all stakeholders to rally behind their local talents in preparation for the competition.
He described the tournament as a vital platform where homegrown male and female footballers from Ekiti can be showcased and developed into global stars who will one day give back to society.
Oladipo lauded the sponsor, Hon. Akintunde Oyebode, for his unwavering commitment to the competition. He noted that the initiative has continued to create meaningful opportunities for young players and has become an important pathway for talent development in Ekiti State.
Hon. Oladipo stressed the need for collective logistical and financial support to ensure that no local government is left behind.He further appealed to the distinguished sons and daughters of Ekiti to support the initiative by contributing to the development and welfare of teams representing their respective local governments, including the provision of kits and other essential materials to ease participation.
In his remarks, Abiara praised Ilejemeje LFC for its consistent participation and disciplined representation since the inception of the competition.
He emphasised that the vision of producing global stars begins with building a solid foundation at the local government level, where the state’s best young talents can be identified and nurtured before progressing to higher stages.
