The 2021 edition of Ogun State Mind Games Festival has been slated to commence from the Secretariat, Ijebu Ode Local Government Area today.
And the games festival will from there move to other eight councils within Ogun East Senatorial District in each day just as two others senatorial districts will witness the festival at various specific dates too.
The festival which starts today, September 16th, will run through October 13th, 2021 whereby all the champions in each council will converge in Abeokuta for grade finale in October.
The event being organised by the state Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with the state Sports Council will feature chess, draught and ayo-olopon across all the 20 local governments in the state.
Disclosing this during a media briefing heralding the games was the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Dr. Oluwadare Kehinde, stating that all modalities towards successful organisation of the festival have been perfected.
He said: “Mind sports is a game of skill that is determined by the intellectual prowess and reasoning skills of the players. Not only for people who are associated with being academically gifted or ‘smart’.
“Mind sports demonstrate the direct benefits of improvement of cognitive functions, analytical or critical thinking skills. It aids in slowing down the process of aging. The human mind is the most powerful instrument since the world began and it operates by the natural law of cause and effect.
“The games will be played across the 20 local governments areas of the state and state officials will be at hand to oversee and judge the game.
“This competition is designed not just as a grassroot sports to discover budding talents in chess, opon-ayo, and draught, but also as a way to ensure that Ogun youths have analytical mind and a well-defined and highly sophisticated thought pattern which can unlock any potential.
“On behalf of His Excellency, Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun MFR, we enjoin all sports lovers, particularly our teeming youth to join us at their various local government areas in claiming juicy prizes that we have for each champion in this competition.
Similarly,, Ogun State Sports Council (OGSSC), Director of Sports, Princess Folakemi Iyabode Rotimi revealed that the game was to discover raw talents in the game which will prepare them for national and international standard.
She said: “The sports council engages in grassroots program which will allow us to nurture athletes to represent the state and the country in the coming future.
Meanwhile, the chairman Technical Committee of the game, Prince Tunji Onatolu revealed that the game was to allow the rural people to understand sports.
“In preparation of the state to discover talents to represent the state at national sports festival was the brain of this mind game, to allow the rural people understand what is called sports.
“Also, to ensure the sports council to discover new talents that could be nurture for the national sports festival, this is to compete with Delta and Edo States respectively.
Also present at the briefing from the ministry were Permanent Secretary, Engr. Abiodun Olayiwola; Director of Admin and Supply, Alhaji Tunji Kalejaiye, and others. Top management staff from the sports council were not left out of the briefing.
Schedule Of Mind Games Festival For All LGCs In Ogun State:
Edo East Senatorial District:
1. Ijebu Ode — September 16
2. Odogbolu — September 17
3. Ijebu North East — September 20
4. Ijebu North — September 21
5. Ijebu East — September 22
6. Ogun Waterside — September 23
7. Remo North — September 24
8. Ikenne — September 27
9. Sagamu — September 28
Edo West Senatorial District:
10. Ipokia — September 29
11. Yewa South — September 30
12. Yewa North — October 1
13. Imeko Afon — October 4
14. Ado Odo Ota — October 5
Edo Central Senatorial District:
15. Ifo — October 6
16. Ewekoro — October 7
17. Obafemi Owode — October 8
18. Odeda — October 11
19. Abeokuta South — October 12
20. Abeokuta North — October 13
