By Richard Ayinde, Osogbo
To commemorate this year International Children’s Day celebration, a sports organisation in Nigeria, Macjey and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Gold FM 95.5, Ilesa, Osun State will organise cross country race for secondary schools’ students in Osun.
Cross country running is one of the disciplines under the umbrella sport of athletics and is a natural-terrain version of long-distance track and road running.
In a statement made available by the Chief Executive Officer of Macjey, Coach Yinka Ogunkeye and made available to newsmen on Sunday, the country race would enable talents to be discovered with the aim of nurturing talented youngsters to stardom.
According to Ogunkeye who initiated the recently held Ijesa Grand Marathon, the sporting event which will hold in Ilesa would afford the organisers the opportunity of engaging youths in the state and addressing their challenges.
With the aim of catching them young, Macjey and Gold FM said sports sponsors and enthusiasts would be on ground during the Children’s Day Celebration to identify talented racers.
Ogunkeye said the athletic event would create forum to address juvenile delinquency in order for the society to enjoy atmosphere of love, unity and peaceful coexistence among youths.
“We (Gold FM and Macjey) decided to organise this Children Day Cross Country race for Secondary Schools’ boys and girls. The motives behind this initiative are to create atmosphere of love, unity and peaceful coexistence among the youths.
“As we all know that sport is a tool for socio economic growth, this event will arouse career prospect from the cradle. It’s a ‘Catch Them Young’ approach that will help in discovering talents, getting youths involved in constructive activities and encouraging self-discipline, self reliance among other noble virtues.
“This Cross Country race that will be held on Thursday, May 27, 2021, will create forum that will alert youths about danger of living dishonourable life and encourage morally sound foundation for them,” the statement reads.
Macjey is a sports oriented organisation that is also involved in event planning. It has covered all south western states.
“Our aspects are supply of all sports equipment and facilities, fitness advice, coaching, health instructor, agent of all sports bodies globally. We have decided sporting events such as Iwude Ijesa marathon, OSBC marathon, Odua marathon, Positive FM , Progress FM, Splash FM, Wazobia FM Marathons, series of soccer competitions and the recently held Ijesa Grand Marathon,” Ogunkeye, a sports expert explained.
