Ooni tasks journalists on local sport reportage

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has charged sports writers in the country to concentrate more on reporting local sporting to encourage sports lovers to promote local sports.  

The first class traditional ruler made this known on Wednesday at his palace in Ile-Ife while playing host to the Osun State chapter of the Sport Writers Association of Nigeria.

The sports journalists in the state had visited the monarch to honour him as the patron of the association.

Oba Ogunwusi, who said he received the award because of the leadership quality and ideas being displayed by the new SWAN executives, asked them not to derail in their vision and mission.

He said the roles discharged by the media were priceless, stressing that journalists had the powers and will to turn things around through their reports.

The king, therefore, appealed to the sports writers to do more in developing sports by reporting local sporting events.

According to Ognwusi, giving foreign sporting activities and leagues too much coverage was another form of colonialism.

Earler, while decorating the monarch, the state Chairman of SWAN, Mr. Adeyemi Aboderin, said that the traditional ruler was being honoured and inducted in recognition of his unity and peace moves among Yoruba race and Nigerians at large.

Aboderin stressed that in addition to championing unity, Ooni Ogunwusi was also being recognised for his passion and investment in sports and belief in youths empowerment.

Also speaking at the induction ceremony, the National President of SWAN, Mr. Honour Sirawoo, said that the association was proud to have the monarch as the royal patron of the association in the state.

Sirawoo said SWAN was out to promote sport development and help diversification of the country’s economy through sports.