The Kwara Director of Sports (DOS), Malam Tunde Kazeem, has called on corporate bodies in the country to invest in grassroots sports development as government alone cannot do it.
Kazeem made the call in Ilorin on Saturday at the end of Droplets Basketball Clinic for children under the age of 5 to 15 years.
He called on wealthy individuals across the country to emulate Olatunji Ayeni, who had been investing in basketball for kids for over seven years.
“For our sports to grow, we all have a role to play because government alone cannot do it.
“Ayeni has been wonderfully investing in our kids over the years..
“We hope that these kids that have been taken through the rudiments of the game will become superstars,” Kazeem said.
The organiser of the clinic, Mr Olatunji Ayeni, represented by the Kwara Falcons Secretary, Azeez Bello, thanked parents for encouraging their kids to play basketball.
He also thanked the children for taking out time to learn how to play basketball.
Ayeni promised to continue to do his best to make sure the game grew to become popular among Nigerian children especially minors.
Highpoints of the closing ceremony included free throws by the participating kids which saw Yellow team defeating the green team to clinch the trophy.
There was also presentation of trophies to outstanding players and teams.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 147 kids registered for the sixth edition of the clinic.
NAN also reports that Kwara Basketball All Stars had defeated their Oyo counterparts by 53 points to 44 to end the clinic.