The 1st Shao Sports Festival scheduled to hold between the 2nd and the 18th of April, 2021, kicked off today with a marathon, featuring thirteen male and female athletes who ran from the Clinic Junction, Isale-Oja, Shao, through Oja/Oke-Lade/Park axis to the palace of which was the finishing-point.
Flagging off the fiesta, the Ohoro of Shao, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Bamidele Alabi Adegbite (Oyerinde 111), enlightenned the participants and the indigenes on the significance of sports to both youths and the elderly ones.
The Monarch, who expressed delight over the staging of the festival, disclosed that apart from health benefits of sports, youths’ restiveness or untoward behaviours can be averted through the instrumentality of sports.
While calling on the entire people of Shao to be practicing regular exercise and always engaging in projects that will fetch the community development and boost its good image, Oba Adegbite noted that sporting activities provide practitioners exquisite entertainment and sportsmanship.
He further advised the athletes, officials and other participants to comport themselves throughout the period of the festival, cautioning them against any step that can fuel crisis.
In his opening remark, the Chairman, Shao Sports Committee, Coach Adetayo Adetunji, thanked God for the materialisation of the initiative transposing into the staging of the First Shao Awonga Sports Festival tagged “Shao 2021 Sports Festival” and commended members of the Ohoro-in-Council and the Executive Members of the Shao Community Development Association, for their utter support and for providing a conducive environment for the realisation of the festival.
Adetunji also rolled out the activities lined up for the festival, which, he said, included marathon, tennis, ayo-opon and football.
Presenting the time-table of the festival, the Chairman explained that apart from marathon taking place as the opening ceremony today (2/4/2021), table-tennis and ayo-opon will come up on the 3rd and the 4th of this month respectively, adding that football game will commence on the 5th, while the festival ends on the 18th of April with the grand finale of the football game.
The participating athletes including Omodara Olushola, Adetunji Adeola, Adebayo Rasaq, Soban Adebara, Adebayo Glory Omolara, Aminat Suleiman, Sogo Adelakun, Olaitan Isreal, Femi Kolawole, Adelowo Salawu (Ayanfe), Shola Akanbi (Deco), Olabanji Emmanuel Kolawole and Shola Adelakun (Kaka).
The marathon came to an end with Shola Akanbi (Deco), Shola Adelakun (Kaka) and Olaitan Isreal emerging 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively.
The occasion also featured prize presentation to the winning athletes.
Also in attendance at the flag-off ceremony were members of the Ohoro-in-Council, members of the Shao Community Development Association, the Jagunmolu of Shao, Hon. Chief Steven Wole Oke, members of Nigeria Army, Road Safety Officers and others as security and emergency officers.
