By Sports Editor
Members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Ekiti state chapter have celebrated this year’s National SWAN Day with visits to the sporting facilities at the Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) and Venite University, Iloro Ekiti.
The visits to commemorate the National SWAN Day 2025 was to identify with the private Universities Sports development vision.
At ABUAD, the SWAN members led by the chapter’s chairman, Qozeem Oladapo accompanied by the Vice President South West Zone, Ayodeji Ogunsakin went round Sports facilities like the talent discovery center that houses indoor multi-purpose courts for basketball, volleyball, squash and badminton with 500 spectator seats, ultra-modern fitness gym, spa and massaging center, game arcade for tactics simulation, table tennis foyer and standard training swimming pool.
They also visited the sports pavilion with one thousand spectators capacity football pitch and the university cinder track, tennis courts,volleyball as well as handball courts at the sports complex.
The Director sports ,ABUAD Professor Gboyega Babalola who was represented by a senior lecturer at the the Directorate of Sports, Dr Toba Bamitale told the Sports journalists that the ABUAD founder, Aare Afe Babalola established the world class standard sporting environment through which the University could ensure and maintain high level of sporting competition and also bridging the gap between education and sports in the University.
Chairman SWAN in the state, Qozeem Oladapo expressed delight at the state of the art sporting facilities at the university, which are second to none in the State and one of the best in the country adding that the body of sports journalists was proud to be associated with the University for its passion towards Sports development and for providing platforms to build present and future champions.
SWAN also commended ABUAD for having the Sports Events Management at the Post Graduate, Masters and PhD levels as a program in the university for Sports inclined individuals across the country with a promise to always support the Sports initiatives and programs of the University more than ever before.
In the same vein, the Sports journalists also paid similar visit to the sporting facilities at Venite University Iloro Ekiti where they were taken round the facilities by Director sports at the university Mr.Joshua Oluyemi.
Areas visited included the football pitch, tennis court, basketball court as well as the volleyball court at the University’s sports complex.
The Sports Director explained to the SWAN members that students of the university are showing impressive interest and commitment to sports, most especially with focus on three major sports namely football, tennis and basketball.
Mr Oluyemi added that the institution was working towards producing sporting talents that could represent the state and the nation in different sports in the nearest future.
The proprietor of the university, Chief Dapo Kolawole who hosted the SWAN members also took them round some of other facilities as well as the ongoing projects at the university.
The Proprietor whose wife is a Patroness of SWAN, Ekiti State expressed delight at the visit of the Sports journalists with an assurance to intensify efforts at making the university the toast of others in academics and Sports.
While sharing his personal experiences with SWAN members since when he and his wife were classroom teachers, Chief Kolawole urged the younger generation to remain focused and determined in their life pursuit.
The Chairman SWAN in Ekiti state, Qozeem Oladapo and the Vice President SWAN, South West Zone Ayodeji Ogunsakin commended the proprietor of Venite University , Iloro Ekiti for placing premium on people oriented initiatives including education and Sports.
