The highly anticipated maiden edition of the South-Western Games code-named SOWEGA will debut in Ogun State, Nigeria between September 26 and October 7, 2021.
A statement by the SOWEGA Development Association (SDA), signed by its Central Working Committee (CWC), Chairman, Dr, Babatunde Olokun, completely spelt out the vision of the initiative.
•Dr. Babatunde Olokun.
The details read thus:
1. To position sports as the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), for achieving zonal developments and the integration of people of the zone.
2. To provide constant avenue for inculcating the intrinsic value of sportsmanship in the youth of the zone
3. To provide avenue for the people of the zone to utilize abundant energy while developing healthy lifestyle.
4. To promote the spirit of leadership, team work and the value of striving to achieve set goals and meeting aspirations through hard work.
5. And to enable the youths display sport talents that may be economically viable to them in the world of sport professionalism.
Babatunde, who was at a time Member, House of Representatives (MHR), representing Remo Federal Constituency of Ogun State between 1999 and 2003, stated further in the statement that, about 14 events would be featured during the mini fiesta.
The events are: Track and field like Soccer, Table Tennis, Boxing, Athletics, Draught , Basket Ball, Swimming, Ayo indigenous game, Golf, and Volley Ball.
According to him, there are 25 institutions showing intention to participate in the sporting event and that more are still coming.
“More institutions of higher learning within the South-West geo-political region have signified interests to participate in the maiden south-west games (SOWEGA) tagged Ogun 2021 that is tentatively scheduled for the first week in September at NYSC camp, Sagamu, Ogun State, Olokun disclosed.
The CWC Chairman further revealed that, at the committee’s meeting on the games recently held at the Conference Centre, University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan, representatives from intending participating schools were present along with members of the CWC.
Members of the CWC in attendance were, Dr Babatunde Olokun, (Chairman), Niyi Sodiya (Secretary), an Olympian, Chief Falilat Ogunkoya and Ropo Ewenla.
It has also been reported that, the main Mission of the SDA behind the sporting event according to organisers, is to foster harmony and friendship among youth within the South-West geo-political zone of the country, and to enable them display sport talents that may be economically viable to them in the world of sport professionalism.
The committee officers from the intending institutions were said to have however looked critically into the academic calendar of the schools before arriving on the proposed schedule before urging corporate bodies and private individuals that might want to sponsor or partner with the organisers to be prompt.
Other schools that have joined the UI and Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu Ode that are driving the idea are Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB), Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, Federal University of Oye, Ekiti State (FUOYE), Ekiti State University, Osun State University, the State of Osun and Olabisi Onabanjo University, Agowoye, Ogun State and others.
According to SOWEGA Development Association (SDA), Entry Fee for participation in SOWEGA, (Ogun 2021), September 26-October 7, is N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) only and entry closes on August 31, 2021.
