Former Super Eagles Manager, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde has disclosed that the first Sports University in the country would be established in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Onigbinde said this in Ilorin during the donation of sports equipment to St. Anthony Secondary School, Ilorin by an old student, Mr Toyin Ibitoye.

Ibitoye who is also the Media Manager of the Super Eagles and the team's Administrative Manager, Mr Achor Dayo Enebi had donated two sets of table tennis equipment and football jerseys to the School. They also donated similar sports equipment to the Chapel Nursery and Primary School, GRA, Ilorin where they both had their primary school education and shared class 5c together as jolly friends.

Onigbinde said that the primary objectives of the Sports University was to fast track national development and curb youths involvement in social vices and violent crimes.

According to the Super Eagles ex- Chief coach; surveys have shown that crimes in Nigeria were mostly juvenile oriented because the youths don't have positive orientation.

"Sports can curb youth violence. It can reduce road carnage because a sports person is always mentally alert and talented just as required of motor drivers and other road users "Sport is a natural development in everyone that induces discipline and leads to activation of potentials that goads you on as one needs to be talented in order to excel in any endeavour.

"Sport is a money spinning business. It can be used to empower the individual and create jobs for the teeming youths and unemployed graduates either skilled or not. "If the grassroots sports development proposal is adopted, the country would have been able to positively re-orientate the youth right from the ward to national level towards self employment", Onigbinde added.

He said Kwara State has been a home base of sports talents where many Nigerian world champions were raised and discovered; a claim Mrs Falilat Ogunkoya, a Nigerian female Olympics gold medalist affirmed at the occasion. Onigbinde also recalled his contact with Kwara State since 1967 where he developed his coaching career at Mount Camel College, Ilorin and St. Anthony Secondary School, Ilorin.

He said he became arrow head of secondary schools sports development in the state and of the first Nigerian Coach to raise a national league team for Kwara christened, "Ilorin Tigers". Onigbinde was optimistic that the proposed Sports University muted by the Nigerian Sports officials and lovers in collaboration with Kwara State government would get approval of the Nigerian Universities Commission, NUC soon.

The Kwara State Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Kale Ibrahim in his remark at the occasion lauded the two Super Eagles officials' spirit of giving back to their Alma Mata.

"On behalf of the State Government, I thank Messrs Ibitoye and Enibe for giving back to their Alma Mata and reviving Schools Sports Competition in Kwara.

"By this, you have not only giving back your Alma Mata that nurtured you to greatness; but have given direction to the upcoming ones and empowered the young in various endeavours", the Commissioner said.

He called on alumni of various schools in the state to emulate the duo's patriotism whom he described as role models of self actualization. The Commissioner also called on organised private sectors, Sports lovers and well to do individuals to partner with government on sports development in the state. Ibrahim noted that sports is now a big business venture worldwide that can be used to empower the restive Nigerian youth and thereby curb challenges of insecurity confronting the nation.

Mr Julius Babatunde, Principal of St. Anthony Secondary School in his words of gratitude thanked the donors for the gesture. "We are very proud of you as our worthy ambassadors and being a pride to Nigeria on world stage. "St. Anthony Secondary School, Ilorin is indeed happy with you for making wordings of the School's Pledge your watchwords in life", he said.

Mrs. Tola Kayode and Mr Folorunsho Kayode, Headmistress and School Manager of Chapel Nursery/Primary School, Ilorin also thanked the Super Eagles Duo for the donations to their Alma Mata.

The School managers commended efforts of Ibitoye and Enebi at motivating the school's pupils to become future world leaders. Responding on behalf of the duo, Mr Ibitoye said their gesture was to sew the proverbial mustard seed where great things grow from the smallest beginnings.

He said when they were playing on the rocky rough and small football pitch of the schools little did they know that their Alma Mata would produce world champions in various sporting events.

Ibitoye said the school and her counterparts in Kwara like the Cherubim and Seraphim College, Ilorin had produced lot of sports men and women who had represented Nigeria and won laurels for the country. He cited the likes of late Sunday Bada who won Olympics gold medal many times and presented his portrait to the school in honour of the late athlete to serve as inspiration to students.

"Today is a special day to us. When we were leaving the school in 1993 it never crossed our minds that one day we would be senior officials of the Nigerian national team.

"We are doing this so that if these students become the next State Governors, Ministers, World Footballers of the Year tomorrow, they can always remember that they played and started from this School" Ibitoye said.

He pledged their continued support to the school and to bring back schools Sports competitions in Kwara State.