Kwara to host investment summit as 8th sports festival begins
The Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Mallam Bola Mogaji, has restated the Commission’s readiness to partner with relevant stakeholders to organise a sports summit aimed at attracting private sector investment into sports development in the state.
Mogaji said this on the sidelines of the hoisting of flags and lighting of the Torch of Unity to herald the 8th edition of the State Sports Festival at the George Innih Stadium Complex, Ilorin.
He explained that the proposed summit would bring together key stakeholders in the sports sector to brainstorm on ways of encouraging private organisations and investors to take advantage of the enabling environment created by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration to invest in sports development.
Mogaji said government alone could no longer shoulder the financial burden of sports development, given its capital-intensive nature, adding that public-private partnership remained a viable option for sustainable growth in the sector.
According to him, “the summit would provide an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss practical ways of attracting investors into the sector, while creating platforms that will benefit athletes, sports clubs, administrators and other stakeholders.”
He said the initiative formed part of the Commission’s broader efforts to reposition sports in the state and ensure that the sector contributes meaningfully to the development of young talents and the state’s economy.
Speaking on the history and significance of the State Sports Festival, Mogaji said the decision to appoint experienced technocrats and former sports stars in the state as members of the Local Organising Committee was deliberate.
He explained that the inclusion of personalities such as Hammed Adio, Tunde Kazeem, Niyi Tinuoye and others was intended to inspire upcoming athletes by exposing them to people who had distinguished themselves in sports.
Mogaji said their experience and achievements would motivate young athletes participating in the festival to take their sporting careers seriously and aspire to greater heights.
He commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his administration’s commitment to the development of sports infrastructure across the state, particularly the upgrading of facilities in the three senatorial districts.
According to him, the investment in sports facilities is aimed at creating an environment conducive to talent discovery and development, with the long-term goal of positioning the state as a hub for sporting talent.
He expressed optimism that with improved facilities, effective talent development programmes and increased private sector participation, the state would continue to produce athletes capable of competing successfully at national and international levels.
The 8th Kwara State Sports Festival, which brings together athletes representing the 16 local government areas of the state, was officially declared open by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Saturday at the George Innih Stadium Complex, Ilorin.
The festival is expected to provide a platform for discovering and developing young sporting talents while promoting unity, discipline, peace and sportsmanship among participants across the state.