Activities at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure, were disrupted on Tuesday as sports stakeholders protested the appointment of Evelyn Lebi as acting general manager of the Ondo State Sports Council.

The protesters, comprising sports union leaders, coaches and athletes, said the appointment would not advance sports development.

Fisayo Bello, coordinating chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, said sports in Ondo were already in a “comatose” state and required a competent technocrat to revive them.

“We need someone with a passion for sports who can take us back to our glorious days, not backwards. Lebi contested four years ago; we said no, and we are saying no now. We want a better person; we want a technocrat who can take us back to our glorious day, not backwards,” Mr Bello said.

Osifo Moses, vice chairman of AUPCTRE in the state and a boxing coach, said that sports in the state needed a better person than the woman.

Mr Moses said the council needed a reputable, committed person for the position.

The chairman of the Ondo State Professional Coaches Association, Joshua Ogunbiyi, said the protest was not against Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, whom he described as being passionate about sports development, but against the choice of Ms Lebi.

Mr Ogunbiyi alleged that Ms Lebi had previously served at the council and was involved in actions that caused tension among staff, adding that stakeholders had repeatedly expressed reservations about her competence.

“At the stage at which we are now, sport is not moving forward. We want somebody, a vibrant and competent general manager, this time around. Somebody who will come and revive sports development.

“A person like Lebi has contested for this position for over three times, and we have made the government realise that this woman is not competent. We are not against the governor bringing whoever he feels can come here and revive sports, but as far as we are concerned, Lebi is not one of them,” he said.

Also speaking, Idowu Afun, general captain of Ondo State athletes, also called on the state government to appoint a competent and vibrant person to head the council.

Reacting, the commissioner for youth and sports development, Henry Omoyofunmi, described the protest as “strange” and unjustified.

Mr Omoyofunmi said Ms Lebi was qualified and a professional, noting that she had served at the sports council for more than 15 years and was currently a director of sports in the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

“She was redeployed after the tenure expiration of the former general manager. The Head of Service posted an accounting officer to the council, and I don’t see why that should be challenged,” he said.

The commissioner alleged that the protesters were acting under unknown influence, noting that the appointment would not hinder sporting activities but rather help to reposition the sector.

(NAN)