Ondo State Football Stakeholders Forum has called on the Ondo State Government to set up a properly constituted board for the Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA) in line with the enabling law establishing the agency.
The Convener of the Forum, Dele Ologbese, who stated this in a press statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Akure, explained that the Ministry of Youths and Sports would serve as a supervisory body for the constituted board.
He said that teams under ODSFA, Sunshine Stars and Sunshine Queens football clubs, would do much better with a proper board in place.
According to him, the Interim Management Committee (IMC) in ODSFA, as constituted at present, is against extant laws and should immediately give way to a legally constituted board.
Ologbese said the board would be made up of relevant bodies such as the ODSFA, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and the Commissioner for Sports who will act as supervisors in line with the enabling law.
The convener, who is the immediate past Vice Chairman of ODSFA, blamed the IMC for sidelining the association in most of its activities.
“This has consequently affected the fortunes of Sunshine Stars and Sunshine Queens gravely,” he said.
Ologbese, also a former member, Nigeria Football Federation Committee on Protocols and Ceremonials, however, said he was very happy that Sunshine Stars escaped relegation by three points.
He said it was bad that the female side, Sunshine Queens, were relegated to the lower league for the first time in their history.
Ologbese also noted that the team needed to prepare well ahead of the incoming season by tidying up loose ends such as players’ contracts and signing of new players, among others issues.
“It is highly regrettable that ODSFA Management failed to forge a good working relationships with Ondo Football Association (FA) which could have brought synergy of cooperation, understanding and immeasurable harmony between both parties.
“This move could have improved the fortunes of the two state’s teams. I have no doubt that FA plays pivotal roles in the club’s administrations, being an official intermediary between it and clubs on the one hand and between it, ODSFA and NFF on the other hand.
“In order to achieve a well co-ordinated football administration in the state, concerted efforts should be intensified towards improving cordial working relations between the management of the state-owned clubs and the FA,” the convener said.
Ologbese, who was the President of Ologbese Football Academy, sought the putting in place of a code of conduct or ethics for players and their technical crews in order to bring sanity into the administration of the two clubs and also boosting their performances.
“I have no doubt that this bold effort will make players and their officials to be exceedingly alive to their responsibilities and also instill discipline in the teams with a view to enhancing their productivity,” he said.
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