The sports loving people of Ekiti state and supporters of the state owned football club, Ekiti United FC Thursday heaved a sigh of relief after an interface with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mrs Tola Faseluka in her office.
The visit which also had in attendance the technical crew of Ekiti United came on the heel of Wednesday unveiling of kits, players and coach of the team by governor Biodun Oyebanji at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado Ekiti.
The Supporters Club executive led by the chairman , Sunday Afolabi had visited to applaud the Permanent Secretary on her administrative prowess and laudable support towards the football team.
Supporters Club Executive and PS Youth and Sports, Mrs Tola Faseluka
They described the attendance of the unveiling by the state governor, the Speaker of the House of Assembly and the Head of Service as a remarkable achievement on the path of Mrs Faseluka and the technical crew of the team.
The Supporters Club noted that Mrs Faseluka had performed creditably despite being a woman since she assumed office adding that her intervention had brought succour to the team.
She was advised not to heed calls from detractors whose sole mission is to bring down the club by sowing the seeds of discord among the technical crew, players and the fans.
The Supporters Club while assuring her of maximum support at all times urged her to use her position as the supervising officer for Youth and Sports in Ekiti state to bring the State government and goverment officials closer to the sports sector.
She was also implored to do everything within her powers to bring succour to the players in three major areas including welfare, salaries and transportation.
In the same vein, the technical crew of Ekiti United FC had a closed door meeting with the Permanent Secretary to assess the unveiling program, and the pre-season activities of Ekiti United.
Mrs Faseluka urged members of the technical crew to work as a team and avoid divisive tendencies which could jeopardize the vision of the state government for the team and the youth of the state.
While acknowledging the importance of sports in youth empowerment and emancipation, the Permanent Secretary said the state was lucky to have a sports loving governor in person of His Excellency, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) at the helm of affairs.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development Mrs Tola Faseluka
She assured that the BAO administration would change the narrative of poor welfarism for the players and technical crew adding that the governor had proven to the world his unalloyed passion for youth and sports development through series of efforts since October 16 when he became the governor.
She urged the sports loving people of the state to keep supporting the state government in it’s quest to achieve it’s people oriented programs and policies.
The Permanent Secretary who promised to always channel the requests and demands of Ekiti United through the right quarters stressed that there are several sports loving individuals working with the state governor, hence the need to explore the opportunity to gainfully engage the youth and develop sports .