Sports minister, Sunday Akinlabi Dare has taken proactive steps to ensure he fully backs an 8-year-old female boxer, as he says he wants to match words with action in helping the youth prodigy make the best of her talent, academics and social life, megasportsarena.com gathered.
Dare stated as much after turning up to watch the lass and another kid boxer he spotted in a video that went viral on social media early last month, after which he promised to take personal strong interest in the kid, Shekinat and her coach at the boxing academy in Lagos.
Shekinat and her colleague set off a tingle in Dare’s nerve when he saw them display their talents in the video, which depicted the lass in training with her father and coach, after which the minister travelled to watch them during a competition in Oworonshoki area of Lagos, where he confessed he was bowled over by the depth of their talent, dedication and performances.
Shekinat and the other young boxers were captured on video by their coach at different training sessions, exhibiting their rare talents in captivating performances that caught Dare’s attention, and he went on to describe what he saw as amazing stuff and a show of brilliant boxing talent.
While adding that gold is in the child, the minister disclosed that he reached out to her father and coach, after which he promised to adopt Shekinah, in order to stand a better chance of helping to further develop her talent; while also disclosing that their performances inspired him to set up Talent Hunt Programme (THP) aimed at discovering youngsters and nurture them.
Dare posted: “The video of 8-year old Shekinah. Amazing stuff. Brilliant boxing Talent. The gold is in the Child. I spoke with her father Quadri in Lagos and her coach, Sulaiman ‘Energy’ to find out about her. We will follow her and get her adopted.
“I kept my promise to 8-year old pugilist, Shekinat that I will be at the ring side to cheer her in the Oworonshoki annual boxing competition. At the youth center, i joined over 500 others to watch young girls & boys fight with gusto, bout after bout. Talents galore.”
