The Executive Chairman of Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA), Mr Bamidele Ologunloluwa, has promised to work with other board members of the agency to embark on aggressive football development across the state in line with the vision of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Ologunloluwa added that there would be a series of grassroots football competitions across the 18 local governments to unearth the budding talents in the state.
He spoke with newsmen after the inaugural meeting with the board at the Sunshine Game Village, Akure
The ODSFA chairman said the board will waste no time in preparing Sunshine Stars for the 2024/25 season, saying the football terrain is a familiar arena where he had achieved tremendous success as Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development.
The former commissioner disclosed that the goal of the board is to return Sunshine Stars to a formidable team that would be the envy of all
He said: “We know it won’t come easy, but it’s doable with hard work and teamwork by the members of the board.”
“We are not new in this terrain, we have done it before, we almost qualified for continental two seasons ago, and we ended the 2022/23 season 4th on the log after 11 years it has happened before.
“We have done it before,we can do it again, remember when we came onboard last time, we do not have much good players, we scouted for them,we were able to rebrand them and we got the result, with such tough abridged league.
“This season is going to be straight league 38 matches ,trust God ,we are going to do it, I’m working with competent board members,” he said.
Ologunloluwa also assured that Sunshine Queens will return to the elite women’s league, saying he met the Akure Landladies on relegation when he came in as commissioner with the support of stakeholders they were promoted.
“The same team are now back in relegation, with the professionalism of the members of the board, we are going to bring them back to the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL).”
“We are not happy that they relegated again, but with God on our side, we are going to bring them back to the women’s Elite League,” he said.