Inside Nigeria
Olusola Oke’s Wife, Daisi, Urges FG, Ondo to Revamp Swimming, other Sports
…Calls for Urgent Attention to Girl-Child Education
Wife of Chief Olusola Oke, Dr. Daisi Oke, has called on government and sports stakeholders in Nigeria to revive swimming and other moribund sports..
Dr. Oke also called for the elimination of all cultural, socio-economic and political stumbling blocks to the girl-child and women in educational pursuit, career actualization and personal fulfillment.
The Ondo state-born educationist and wife of one of the leading gubernatorial aspirants in the All Progressive Congress primary election in April said the place of sports in human health and total wellbeing cannot be over-emphasised considering the reduced physical mobility occasioned by technology and industrial growth, particularly in the 21st century.
Dr. Oke, who had won several national medals in swimming for the state in the past, described the sport as therapeutic, saying it impacts positively on the human body as a result of the kinetic movements involved.
Recalling her swimming dexterous prowess with nostalgia, she narrated how she was able to transcend the limitations in swimming, particularly the opinion of her parents about having to dress sparingly as a girl child.
She said there is a complementary relationship between sports and learning as human endeavours, adding that she was able to complement her academics with her love for swimming.
Bemoaning the paucity of female trainers, handlers and patrons, she charged stakeholders to be deliberate about revamping swimming and other sports in the country.
Dr. Oke noted that she was able to break through the challenges that threatened her access to education, just like others in her shoes at the time.
She therefore admonished the girl-child and women generally not to permit anything to break their resolve to be what they desire and which God has ordained for them in life.
The school administrator and successful business manager stressed the need for good mentoring, goal setting and diligent pursuit of set-goals.
She expressed confidence that if the people of Ondo State elect her husband as governor the state will witness a quantum lift in sports, education and industrialization.
