Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo has commissioned basketball court donated by a non-governmental organisation, John Matthias Etim Foundation to Apata Community Grammar School, Apata, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The event, which held on Thursday, 26 September 2024, had dignitaries and members of the alumni of the school present at the grand opening, which took place on the school’s premises.
In his remarks, Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo lauded the foundation for the gesture.
While he charged alumni members to do more towards the development of education in Nigeria .
Meanwhile on the same day, the School’s old Students Association celebrated the 44th founders day where the founder of the initiative, John Etim was honoured with an Excellence Philanthropic Performance award, the award was jointly presented by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the Association President -Prince Adewumi Basorun.
In an interview with journalists, Founder , John Matthias Etim Foundation, John Etim stated that the initiative is one of the projects aimed at to giving support to education .
He noted that the basketball court which is named “Bola Ige Basketball court “was also put into consideration having discovered that the country focuses more on academics than sports .
Etim lamented that basketball players travel abroad because of lack of facilities for the sport in the country.
The Ibadan-born philanthropist who is an alumni of the school stated that the foundation had held many interventions in education but embarked on the basket ball court in a bid to make education fun for the students.
He noted that the organisation which has provided scholarships to indigent’s children aimed to construct a sport complex which will comprise of tennis court, football field and a race track.
Adding that the Foundation which was established in 2006 had helped the needy through some of his projects including, zero-interest loan, medical outreach and distribution of food items among others .
He said, “Bola Ige Basketball court was also put into consideration having discovered that the country focuses more on education than sport and to enable students have fun while they study in school
“The project is a proposed sport complex which will comprise of tennis court to be named after former Governor of Oyo state , Lamidi Adesina ,Athletic race track to be named after former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo and football field to be named after pioneer principal of the school , but we decided to start with basketball court.While other facilities include recreational center and security officers apartments.”
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