Idowu football tourney will be a big boast for school sports – Tinism

By Ifeanyi Eduzor
1st Vice President of Nigeria School Sports Federation, Dickson Monday Tinism says that the forthcoming Yemi Idowu football tournament among secondary schools will be a big boost to the development of school sports in the country.
He told newstap.com.ng yesterday at the ongoing 23rd edition of the annual Milo Basketball Championship that the tournament being planned by the newly installed patron of the Federation will go a long way in galvanizing children’s interest in football as well as be a veritable ground for discovering talented youths.
” I’m really excited with the plans of our newly installed patron to organise a football championship among secondary schools which will be held in Lagos at his facility known as the Maracana Stadium which he recently renovated. This will go a long way in grassroots sports development which we’ve been preaching and I look forward to the kick off.
” Kudos must go to Chief Idowu for coming up with such a noble idea and I believe it’s a big thing to happen to School Sports Federation as we now have a caring patron who will be there to advice our hardworking President Mrs. Bisi Joseph who is untiring in taking school sports to higher level
On the annual Milo school basketball championship, he explained happiness that the competition has lived up to expectation and led to the discovery of talented players in the slam and dunk game which has now assumed the position of second most loved game in the country after football.
” The Milo basketball tournament is really interesting and the children are enjoying the hospitality of Lagos State with many of them confessing to me that they would like to come and continue their studies in Lagos.
“There is no denying the fact that the annual competition has really improved the game in the country and talents discovered and I must not fail to appreciate the sponsors for using the tournament to encourage youths to combine sports with education which NSSF is championing.
Tinism while taking stock of the successes recorded by the Federation, attributed it to the President whom he described as a wonderful administrator, workaholic and goal getter who since assumption of office has turned around the fortune of the body.
” There is no denying the fact that School Sports Federation of Nigeria under the leadership of Mrs. Bisi Joseph has recorded some achievements which we hope to continue to improve on.
” In 2012, NSSF represented the country at the All Africa Beach Basketball Championship held in South Africa where we came first. Recently, we equally went to Belgrade, Serbia where our boys came 4th and the girls took the 5th position.
“In athletics, our products are doing very well. Just recently, some of them went to France and competed. At Abeokuta, one of our athletes won a gold medal. You should also know that we have coordinators in each of the states of the Federation whose duty is to discover talents and this has really helped the Federation a lot”, he stressed.