Adedeji Owoeye, managing director and chief executive officer of Golden Flower Global Concept Limited has called on private sectors to drive school sports development. He said such investment offers them an avenue for brand consciousness and increased sales.
Owoeye made the call on Tuesday, during a world press conference held inside the main hall of CMUL/LUTH senior staff club, Idi-Araba, Lagos State. The conference was organised by Golden Flower Global Concept, the franchise holding company for LAFGHECA intercollegiate sports competition to brief the media and general public about the 9th edition of sports competition coming up on Saturday, April 9, 2022.
“We are using this medium to appeal to the private sector group to sponsor this sporting event as there are numerous channels of opportunities that will sporadically amplify their brands and unimaginably increase their sales,” Owoeye said.
Owoeye reiterated the need for relevant government institutions and philanthropic individuals to support the organisation in hosting a successful sporting event aimed at discovering new talents in sports.
The philanthropist maintained that with proper collaboration and partnership with multinational firms and government institutions the organisation will produce young Nigerian sports stars like Iga Swiatek, the Polish highschool girl who became the youngest French Open winner in 2020, after defeating the USA’s Sofia Kenin in straight sets to win the Grand Slam.
Swiatek was a keen student who combined her tennis career with finishing high school where her favourite subject was mathematics. She made history in the 2020 French Open, by not only being the youngest to win the tournament but also the first person from Poland to lift the coveted trophy.
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Owoeye disclosed that the 9th edition of the intercollegiate sports scheduled to hold at the Yaba College of Technology sports complex will have 30 schools in participation among which are Igbobi College, St. Finnbars College, Queens College, CMS Grammar School, Methodist Girls College, etc; stressing his hope that the event will help discover many more young talents in the sporting world.
“We are very hopeful that this edition will be a great success with the support of philanthropic individuals, government institutions, sports associations, and agencies. This sporting event will also awaken the spirit of cooperation and relationship among the first generation schools in Lagos State, as it will feature athletics, long-jump, table-tennis, chess, and scrabble, among others,” he said.
Otunba Olusegun Olapeju, the founder of Lagos State first-generation heritage colleges association (LAFGHECA) in his opening speech disclosed that the organisation was established in 2010 with the aim to use sports as tools for inculcating unity, inclusiveness, and brotherliness among the adolescents, besides discovering and developing young talents.
“This year’s edition is wearing a new look because of the partnership with Golden Flower Global Concept Limited. The 9th edition is a special number and the anniversary is being repackaged by Golden Flowers to help the young talents maximise sports with education,” Olapeju said.
The former principal of Kings College explained that the organisation is in partnership with the Lagos State Police command to ensure maximum security for all participating schools and spectators.
Victor Biyibi, the incumbent chairman of LAFGHECA in his speech urged the participants to prepare well for the event with a sportsman’s attitude of fair play, teamwork, passion to excel, among others, but warned that sports are not a do or die affair.
Many other leaders of academic institutions and LAFGHECA such as Yusuf Risikat Olaitan, Olaboyegun Olusegun, Adebambo Tajudeen, etc; graced the occasion.
