A call has gone to the government at all levels, philanthropists and parents not to neglect the physically challenged in their bid to achieve their dreams.
This was made known by a youth corp member and the initiator of the “Hope for the disabled project”, Sarafadeen Olalekan Oyeleke, on Wednesday at the Ilorin Stadium in Kwara State, where the first amputee soccer tournament was held.
According to Oyeleke, who was posted to the state Sports Council, the idea behind the project was to showcase the talents of the amputees, bring them together and also to pass a message that the physically challenged have a lot to offer the society.
The Kwara State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps, Moshood Adebayo Amusa, expressed joy at witnessing such a history making event that once again gives hope to the physically challenged.
Adebayo, who commended Oyeleke for his initiative, stressed that the project has gone a long way to show that the NYSC’s Community Development Scheme is actually having impact on the lives of the people of the host community.
While appreciating everyone that made the project a success, Adebayo expressed hopes that such will be extended to the other parts of the country and sustained for a long time.
Also making in his comment, the state Director of Sports, Coach Tunde Kazeem, emphasised the need to commend and support Oyeleke on his laudable project even as he pointed out that he has been a good ambassador of the NYSC since he started his youth service.
At the end of the one-day event, the Nigeria National Amputee team (Special Eagles) defeated the Kwara State Amputee team (Harmony team) 2-0.