AKURE, Nigeria – The inaugural President Bola Tinubu Sports Festival culminated in a vibrant closing ceremony at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) sports complex on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, marking the successful end of a month-long celebration of grassroots athleticism and youth potential in Ondo State.
Organised by the Grassroots Movement for Tinubu (GMT), the festival transcended a mere sporting competition. It served as a strategic convergence of community engagement, talent discovery, and political outreach, attracting a significant turnout of young athletes, sports enthusiasts, and community leaders from across the state’s zones.
More Than a Game: The Strategic Vision Behind the Festival
In his address at the grand finale, Mr. Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, the Director-General of GMT in Ondo State, framed the event’s multifaceted objectives. “Our vision is clear: to mobilise grassroots support for the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, while enlightening citizens about policies that aim to strengthen the economy, create jobs, secure lives and restore national confidence,” he stated.
Yusuf-Ogunleye elaborated that the festival was deliberately designed as a dual-purpose platform. Primarily, it functions as a critical talent pipeline, aiming to discover, nurture, and develop young athletes who might otherwise remain unseen. This aligns with a growing national recognition of sports as a viable career path and a tool for social mobility. Secondly, it promotes core societal values like unity, discipline, and productive youth engagement, channeling youthful energy into structured, positive competition.
“Sports remains a powerful tool for nation-building,” Yusuf-Ogunleye noted, connecting the initiative directly to President Tinubu’s stated emphasis on youth empowerment. The festival provided a tangible, non-partisan space for young people to showcase their abilities in football, athletics, table tennis, and traditional games like Ayo Olopon.
Logistics, Support, and Broader Political Context
The DG extended gratitude to key supporters, notably the festival’s sponsor, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Interior Minister, whose backing was instrumental. He also acknowledged the cooperation of FUTA and other tertiary institutions whose facilities were pivotal in overcoming logistical hurdles to host the zonal and final events.
The presence of GMT leadership from across the South-West, including Hon. Tola Banjo, DG for Ogun State, underscored the event’s regional significance. Banjo highlighted the festival’s role in showcasing the administration’s work at a grassroots level, describing it as a form of continuous engagement outside of election cycles. This sentiment was echoed by former Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Lola Fagbemi, who urged the region to rally behind the President’s agenda.
Champions Crowned: A Showcase of Emerging Excellence
The festival’s competitive spirit yielded impressive results, uncovering raw talent from various corners of the state:
- Football: Okitipupa Zone emerged as the overall champion after a series of keenly contested matches, with Akoko Zone and Akure Zone securing second and third places, respectively.
- Athletics: The track events were a highlight. In the men’s 100m, Temitope Bello (Akoko Zone) claimed gold, followed by Olumide Daniel (Ondo Zone) and Saliu Toheeb (Akoko Zone). The 400m was dominated by Sunny Mumini (Akoko Zone), with Wisdom James (Akure Zone) and Owolabi Victor (Ondo Zone) completing the podium.
- Table Tennis: Ilesanmi Olatunji (Akure Zone) demonstrated superior skill to take first place, ahead of Timothy and Fusho Abiodun.
- Traditional Sports: In the Ayo Olopon competition, Omosowon Idowu emerged victorious, followed by Akindele Metinukuro and Olowolafe Abiodun.
The event concluded with the presentation of trophies, medals, and prizes to these outstanding athletes and teams. However, the true prize for many participants is the exposure and recognition gained. For the organisers, the success lies in having established a functional model that simultaneously fosters athletic development, community spirit, and civic awareness—a trifecta that promises greater value if sustained and replicated. The challenge now is to ensure the discovered talents receive the structured follow-up and pathways to advancement that such festivals promise.
Reported by Alaba Olusola Oke for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Edited by Ayodeji Alabi.
