NAN-S-5
Cricket
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, April 24, 2017 (NAN) Oyo State team has won the maiden South-West U-19 Cricket Tournament tagged “The Jide Bademosi Cup’’.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyo team emerged winners after defeating their Ogun counterparts with 78 runs at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan on Sunday.
Oyo had in the final of the tournament named after Prof. Jide Bademosi, scored 191 runs in 40 overs to defeat the Ogun team which scored 113 runs all out.
NAN reports that the tournament, sponsored by Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR) Ltd., featured teams from Oyo, Ogun, Osun and Lagos states.
Mr Seye Fadahunsi, the Chairman of EMR, said that the company considered it a privilege to play a role in the organisation of the maiden cricket tournament for students and young cricket enthusiasts.
“Cricket builds character and we hope the tournament provided the avenue for young people to learn from each other.
“We are hopeful that they will reinforce the gentlemanly and noble ethos of the game,’’ he said.
Fadahunsi said that the tournament was named after Bademosi, having considered the high moral and professional values he espoused and lived.
Mr Okon Ukpong, the Zonal Representative in the board of Nigeria Cricket Federation, South-West Zone, said that cricket was a game played in Oyo State for a very long time.
“The game is played in Oyo State for a very long time but in the last five years, it went into doldrums but we fought to restore it. And the restoration has brought us to where we are now.’’
He said that the game came as a platform for the young ones to discover their talents, adding that three years ago, such a competition for U-15 was organised.
Ukpong said that the tournament was named after Bademosi because of his enigmatic figure in cricket in the zone.
“Imagine a Surgeon, who will leave the theatre to join us on the cricket field because he wants to add value to us. This is just a way of saying thank you,’’ he said.
He added that the annual tournament would move round the states in the zone for talents to be discovered and be brought together for tutelage at the EMR Academy to be established in Ibadan.
Bademosi, a cricket enthusiast, said discipline had come to the game and had improved a lot and expressed the hope that it would further improve.
“We need to encourage the students to appreciate what discipline is. We must also encourage them not to relent in their academic pursuit.
“They should see the game as secondary and their academics as primary to achieve the best in life,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the participants carted away trophies and cash prizes.
Among the award winners are Elijah Olaleye (Oyo), Chima Akachukwu (Oyo), Daniel Ajekun (Ogun), Oluwafemi Soyebi (Ogun), Sulaimon Runsewe (Oyo) and Toheeb Obisesan.
The final match was witnessed by Mr Abayomi Oke, Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Ewa Henshaw, an ex-Cricket international, Chief Emiola Adesina and Mr Kolade Mosuro among others. (NAN)
TAA/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)