The Division 1 Ijesa Golden Warriors FC has unveiled its jerseys for the 2024/2025 session.
The club also announced the new captain for the season in the person of Akanfe Samson.
The chairman and patron of the club, Alhaji Lateef Bakare, at the unveiling ceremony in his Olufemi Avenue Ilesa residence, disclosed that efforts are in the top gear to enlist the team in the national league.
Alhaji Bakare, the chairman AFROMEDIA PLC, said the team is the only football club in the area, with 2 players shortlisted for the final selection for the mini national team list.“That you’re shortlisted at all to participate in the final selection is great; it makes me happy, and I told your team manager that I am happy, because what it means is that in that register of shortlisted players nationwide, you’ll register Ijesa Golden Warriors as a team; your two names, Yinka and Feyisayo, will also be in that register, and that is the beginning. My prayer is that next time you will perform better to get engaged. The essence of some of the programs we will be embarking on, like training and friendly matches, etc., is to improve your skillss," he noted.
According to him, the likes of international player Kanu Nwakwo started with work-and-eat football and segun Odegbami as a student at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, before becoming famous in the game of round leather.
‘The same thing goes with Christian Chukwu; they all started from a background not as good as yours, you know, so I need you to seize this opportunity properly; we would also do some kind of welfare scheme for you in order to ensure that your lives get better,” he assured the players.
Alhaji Bakare also spoke on the sponsorship drive of the board to get more people to support the team with a view to making lots of differences to what the management is doing.
“I need you to have skills. When you become a professional footballer, that is a different board game; now that you’re still playing the amateur game, the best bet is to have jobs, because that is the way that will just enable you; we call it enablerdor what we are doing," he said.
The team manager, Adebayo Rawlings, a board member of Osin State F.A., said he started the club in 1990 to promote football at the grassroots and acknowledged the support of Alhaji Lateef Bakare, Alagba Wale Idowu, and other Ijesa people that keep the club afloat.
I was inspired by the late Mr. Gbade, the owner of Obokun Rocket FC, during one of the team outings at Ilesa Grammar School over 30 years ago. I started building my team with some kids around Odo Esira and Egbe Idi in Ilesa and christened the team Ijesa Warriors. In 1993, we upgraded by engaging more nature people as team members.”.
He explained that many of the dedicated players are either students, artisans, or apprentices who give all strength to make the team walk tall among its equals, calling for more support to spur them to more victory in their future encounters.
In a remark, a trustees member, Alagba Wale Idowu, praised the team manager for his resilience and hard work to Marshall the team in spite of the turbulence.
Alagba Wale Idowu advocated support for the team, noting that the team will be formally presented to the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Dr Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, for adoption because it has carved Ijesaland on the heart and not on the marble only.
Highlights of the event were the decoration and presentation of awards to the chairman, board members, and distinguished teammates.
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