A football enthusiast, Mr Richard Omodara, has called for more involvement of businessmen and philanthropists in the discovery of talents from the grassroots through youth engagement in sporting activities.
Omodara made the call at the ongoing Golden Tosrich Football League Cup competition, last Monday in Akure.
Tidesports source gathered that the league, which is the 12th edition of Tubaba Football Competition, is being sponsored by Omodara.
Omodara said that he decided to sponsor the competition, which began on October 17 in Ondo State, as part of his contributions to the development of the game at the grassroots level.
He appealed to other well-meaning individuals to also get involved in the task of taking youths off the streets by investing in sports, generally.
“It is an opportunity for the youth to showcase the talents which God has deposited in them for the glory of the state and the country at large.
“It is also an avenue for me and my crew to identify with the youth at the grassroots and give back to the society in our own little way,” he said.
Omodara stated that government could not do it alone, adding: “that is why I decided to come in as a private individual to contribute my own quota to the development of the round leather game in the state.”
Also speaking, another football enthusiast, Saliu Adekunle, commended the organisers for putting together a befitting grassroots football league at this time.
“I see talent everywhere in the state and the only way to develop them and bring them into stardom is through competitions of this nature.
“This is the 12th edition of the competition, and to the glory of God, a lot of talents had been discovered on this same Housing/Ijapo field,” he said.
He, however, called on all football lovers in the state to join hands with interested individuals to discover, develop and nurture talented players to the peak of their chosen career.