A former president of Sunshine Stars and Sunshine Queens football clubs, Akin Akinbobola, has attributed the recent relegation of Ondo State-owned clubs from Nigeria's top football divisions to systemic mismanagement, poor funding, and political interference by the state government.
Infuriated by the relegation of the Akure-based sides to lower divisions, Akinbobola, who had also served as Chairman of the Ondo State Football Agency ODSFA, emphasized that mediocrity and misplaced priorities also led to the demotion.
With both clubs crashing out of the Nigeria Premier Football League NPFL and Nigeria Women Premier League NWFL, the relegation ended the 22 unbroken seasons of Sunshine Stars FC.
While stating this during a press briefing to review the season of Sunshine Stars and the decline of sporting activities in the state, Akinbobola stated that Sunshine Stars FC is currently not being managed professionally, and the state government must begin to prioritize the sports sector and the welfare of athletes.
"To the best of my knowledge, that place is not well-managed. Mediocrity has crept into the very breadth of that place. How can you put a carpenter to go and become head of the hospital management board? How can you put a medical doctor to go and be head of the Judiciary Commission? It cannot work.