Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Professor Modupe Adelabu (3rd left) displaying the banner for the 2nd All Nigeria Junior Open Tennis Championship 2013 to be hosted by Ekiti State. With her are (left-right) Mrs. Ronke Samo, Barrister Oluwaseyi Ojo, Mr. Yemi Owoseni (3rd right), Mr. Femi Folagbemi and Mr. Deji Ogunsakin at the deputy governor's office.
The Organizing Committee for 2nd All Nigeria Junior Open Tennis Championship billed for the Tennis Court at the Ekiti State Trade Fair Complex, on Iyin Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State have swung into action after the Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu, unveiled the Logo for the fiesta on Tuesday.
Prof Adelabu unveiled the logo when committee chairman Mr Yemi Owoseni led other members to her office on an advocacy visit ahead of the tournament scheduled to begin on September 22.
Their visit followed an approval by Governor Kayode Fayemi that the state should host the championship tagged: Ado-Ekiti 2013. The tournament coincides with the third anniversary of the Fayemi administration.
The deputy governor told the organizers that Ekiti State is a fertile ground for the development of the mind and the body. “This is why the governor is passionate about the development of a Sports Academy in the state where budding talents can develop their potentials,” she told her audience.
Mr Owoseni, who wears three caps as the 1st Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Tennis Federation; the Chairman of Ekiti Tennis Association and the Permanent Secretary of the State Pensions’ Commission, described the maiden edition of the championship which held in 2011 as a huge success.
He named Adegoke Sarah, Adeleke Ramota, Emmanuel Idoko, Michael Michael and Joseph Ime as some young tennis stars discovered at the maiden edition of the championship, adding the discovered talents have been representing the country at international championships.
Owoseni said: “They later represented Nigeria at some All African Junior Tennis Championships in Ghana and Botswana.”
Mr Owoseni said his committee will shop for N15 million to successfully host the championship, noting that the famous US Open, French Open, Wimbledon and Australia Open started from humble backgrounds.
He said: “Today, it is a common knowledge that those competitions are massive foreign exchange earners for host countries. Tourists pour into these countries from all over the world either as spectators or participants.
“One factor that has positioned Ekiti State well to take frontline position in tennis is that the state has the basic facilities to draw the attention of tennis enthusiast.”
Last modified: September 4, 2013