By Uzor Odigbo
Until the appointment of Olympian and former Long Jumper and national record holder Yusuf Alli as boss of Edo State Sports Commission, ex-athletes, Sports technocrats and enthusiastic sportsmen and women had lamented the poor state of the sector in the state.
It didn’t take too long when signs of improvement in all strata of sports started to show in the horizon in Edo State after Alli mounted the saddle.
Sports technocrats who volunteered comments were excited to narrate the new development in Edo sports.
From Football to Athletics, Stadium Management and Competition in all sports.
“Those of us abroad are excited to see good progress in our sports at home since Alli took over. The stadium on its own is enough testimony of progress. To maintain and run this edifice on a daily basis and keep it clean. With all these facilities functioning it couldn’t have come from an empty brain,” said Friday Enony, a US based former Shot putter.
“Edo State football club Bendel Insurance have started contributing money to the state coffers through funds earned from players transfer which was not there before Yusuf Alli got appointed,” says one of the senior coaches in the Club who refused to be named.
He alleged that the former Deputy gov Philip Shaiibu ran Edo State Sports aground with unfounded policies based on here say, selfishness and personal gains.
“Imagine, a deputy governor waking up one day and sacked all workers in the Edo sports commission. Alli advised against it and workers were restored to their jobs.
“Alli made sure that AthIetes have enough competitions in all sports and encouraged private sports sponsorship. He stabilised all sports associations in Edo State Sports Commission to seek for the progress of grassroots sports to help raise young talents for the state. That’s why Ex-athletes such as Princess Mabel Madojiemu, Eyoto AthIetics foundation competition and many others are emerging to assist in growing Youth Academies Competitions where talents are discovered daily.
“That’s why the Chairman of Edo State AthIetics Association Dele Edokpaiye has a lot admiration for Yusuf Alli for bringing his experience garnered over the years as a top AthIete, an Olympian to bear on Edo State Sports Commission and the difference is clear.”
Princess Mabel Madojiemu who is on the board of Edo State Sports Commission said, She have been seeing what Yusuf Alli and his team has been able to achieve within short time he reigned so far and commended him for the good maintenance of the stadium with top-notch functional facilities.
On the sideline watching Insurance play Heartland of Owerri in a NPFL league match at the weekend, coaches and players hail Alli for making the field of play easy to play on.
For Monday Edogie, popularly called Arsenal in Edo Sports Commission said, “We rate Alli high not because others before him didn’t work, but Alli is committed personally to our little details and find ways to solve problems, which others would say NOTED and there it would end.
“We see him every day, he doesn’t work as Chairman who sits in his office and wants us to come to him. No, he always come to our duty posts to meet us, that’s why he is so Special.”