Chairman, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, Honourable Babatunde Olaniyan (Akoro), and the Technical Adviser of the club, Gbenga Ogunbote (Oracle), were on Sunday, honoured in Ibadan at a ceremony put in place by the Aroka Media Network.
The duo were given the awards of special recognition for their various contributions to the development of football and efforts at taking the Oluyole Warriors back to where they belong.
The former Deputy Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, dedicated the awards to the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde.
Speaking after receiving the award at a ceremony held at the Dapo Aderogba Hall, Press Centre, Iyaganku, Honourable Olaniyan, appreciated governor Makinde for giving him the opportunity to head Management of the Oluyole Warriors.
“I want to dedicate this award to the Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engineer Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, who deemed me fit to occupy this exalted position.
“For the organisers to have found me worthy of this award, it shows that whatever you are doing, people are watching, even though I believe I have not done anything much to deserve this”, stated the retired referee, who added that the award would spur him to do more.
Speaking on 3SC, Honourable Olaniyan revealed that getting the services of top-notch coaches like coach Gbenga Ogunbote, whom he described as one of the best in the Nigerian league, was because the club managed to retain its premier league status.
“If we had been relegated, it would have been difficult to get coach Gbenga Ogunbote, but I want to salute him for deciding to join us. You can imagine a coach who had continental tickets in his hand, to leave that and join a team that struggled to escape relegation”.
Speaking further, the 3SC helmsman, assured the teeming fans of the club of a rewarding 2022/23 season.
“We have for a long time deprived our supporters and fans of good football, but I can assure them that with what coach Gbenga Ogunbote has done in the past few weeks, they are going to enjoy good football and also get the results that will make them happy,”
On behalf of the entire Shooting Stars family, Honourable Olaniyan expressed appreciation to the Aroka Media Network and its partners for putting together the event.
Other notable personalities honoured at the event included the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Bayo Lawal, the chairman, of Oyo State Football Association, Oba James Odeniran, chairman, Ibadan Football Association, Barrister Rotimi Alli, Barrister Jibril Mohammed and the proprietor, Ibadan City Polytechnic, Dr Amos Ajanaku, chairman, Oyo State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Demola Babalolo, among others.
Meanwhile, the Oluyole Warriors continued their preparation for the season with a triumphant outing in the Play Football for Good Governance four-team competition, after beating Oyo State Housing Corporation FC 2-0 in the final match decide on Monday at the Olubadan Stadium.
One goal in each half courtesy of Tony Okachi and Ibrahim Yusuf, were enough to ensure the Gbenga Ogunbote tutored side cart home the trophy.
