Fatimah Yusuf-Olukoju reinstalled as Kogi inaugurate new Athletics Association board

Fatimat Yusuf-Olukoju, owner of Village Coach Fitness, motivates her group as they exercise under her guidance on Friday, Jan. 4 2013 in Riverside. Fatimat was born in Nigeria and became a medalist in the 1996 Olympics.

A retired Kogi born Nigerian medal winning athlete, Fatimah Yusuf Olukoju who competed mainly in the 400 metres during her career has been reinstalled as the chairperson to run the affairs of the Kogi State Athletics Association.

Athletics great had been appointed into the role in 2020 but was relieved of her position on May 26 following the dissolution of the state’s sports associations.

However, Kogi State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Idris Musa (Danjuma Oando) on Thursday, who was represented by his permanent secretary witnessed a veritable gathering of titans and consummate personalities during the inauguration of the state’s Athletics Association board.

Driven by the quest to get all State association running and devoid of any internal rancor, the Commissioner charged the new board members to run an inclusive and transparent administration.

He urged the Chairmen and members of the inaugurated athletic associations to identify talents with programmes put in place for their development, raise funds from the private sector to organise adequate competitions and carry out sensitisation on fair and drug-free regime by athletes, among others.

Inaugurating the board members, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Sylvanus Akpama, who represented the Commissioner spoke glowingly about the rich pedigree, strong corporate character and passion which informed the appointment of the Chairmen and members of the sports associations.

Mr. Akpama admonished them to take sports to the next level in order to consolidate Kogi State leadership position in Nigeria, especially at the national and international level.

In his remarks, the Director of Sports, Mr. Onipe , disclosed that the new Athletics Association board members were painstakingly selected to refocus and change the face of the association in the State.

He opined that a perception about government being the sole financier of sporting events had to change, urging the new board members to work independently of government to source private sector financing and sponsorships to enable them run the affairs of the association.

Responding on behalf of the board members, the Chairperson of the Association, Mrs. Fatimah Yusuf Olukoju thanked the State Government through the sports ministry for finding them worthy of the appointment.

She promised on behalf of the board members, to join hands with all stakeholders to achieve the Government agenda of human capital development through sports.

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