By: Mayowa Otun
E.M.O as he’s fondly called by his political associates registered the team (Iwo United) for the State Challenge Cup 2021, kitted all the 30 registered players, provided them with a bus and fed them throughout the competition.
Iwo United is the only non-league side that got to the quarter-final stage of the competition before they lost to the state government-financed team, Osun United (The Omoluabi Giants). This was achieved because of the kindness shown to them by the man that comes from rural and given the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Affairs to be piloting its affairs by Gov. Gboyega Oyetola.
The Oke-Oba-born politician did not just finance the team, he also appeared physically in all the matches they played to motivate them and lift their spirit which helped the team to go that far.
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Challenge Cup (Aiteo Cup) is a national competition in which a team that comes first in every 36 States of the federation will represent their states to participate at the national level.
Traditionally, Osun United being the giant team in Osun will represent Osun so as Shooting Stars will represent Oyo, Gateway FC in Ogun, and so on but Engr. Mumini Olabamji registered Iwo United so as to know their readiness for the National League (NLO II) that he’s intending to buy its slot for them.
Management of Osun United FC invited 3 players from Iwo United because of their excellent performances and the opportunity provided by Engr. Mumini Adekunle Olabamji to showcase the talents at the state level.
The entire active football players in Iwoland (Ayiwola) have expressed their profound gratitude to the Special Adviser to the Governor of the State of Osun on Rural Affairs and Community Development, Engr. Mumini Adekunle Olabamiji for sponsoring them to this year’s (2021) State Challenge Cup.
