By Roving Reporters
The Ondo State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has issued a damning verdict on the state of sports infrastructure in the state, calling out the government over the decrepit Akure Township Stadium and the abandoned Araromi stadium project.
In a communiqué released at the end of its congress held in Akure on Friday, July 11, 2025, the association expressed deep concern that the dilapidated condition of the Akure Township Stadium had driven the state’s football teams — Sunshine Stars FC and Sunshine Queens — to play their home matches outside the state, a move SWAN said contributed directly to the relegation of Sunshine Stars FC from Nigeria’s elite football division.
“The stadium is not just a football pitch. It’s the beating heart of youth sports and pride in our state. The situation is heartbreaking,” said Tosin Ajuwon, Chairman of the Communiqué Drafting Committee.
“The rot we see at the Akure Stadium is a symbol of leadership failure in the sports sector.”
While acknowledging that the state government had initially begun renovation efforts, SWAN noted that work had since slowed down significantly or completely stopped, particularly on critical infrastructure such as the football pitch, stands, changing rooms, and lighting.
“The people are tired of hearing excuses. We need action, not abandoned promises,” added Olabisi Longe, the committee’s secretary. “Governor Aiyedatiwa must come down himself and see the eyesore that our supposed state stadium has become.”
SWAN also highlighted the abandoned Araromi Stadium project, located in Akure, which was launched to provide a modern alternative to the aging township facility.
The association described the project’s stagnation as “a painful reminder” that despite its sports legacy, Ondo State still does not have a single completed state-owned stadium after nearly five decades of existence.
“This is 2025, and we still don’t have one befitting stadium owned by the state government. That’s a shameful record,” said Adebayo Familoyo, a member of the drafting committee.
“How can we talk about developing sports when athletes don’t even have a proper place to train or compete?”
The association, therefore, issued a passionate appeal to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to take personal responsibility for revitalizing the state’s sports infrastructure.
“The governor must act now, not tomorrow,” the communiqué urged. “Let him visit both stadiums — Akure Township and Araromi — and commit to urgent rehabilitation and completion work. Sports lovers are watching, and the youth are losing hope.”
