By Fisayo Akinduro,  Osogbo

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Ijesha people have launched a sporting activity tagged: “Ijesa Grand Marathon”, to keep youths off the streets and prevent restiveness that is rampant in Osun state.
The game is part of the activities marking the first edition of Ilesa Grand Festival slated for this week.
The sponsor of the race, Mr Tijani Usman, while addressing journalists in Ilesa, assured of adequate safety and security measures during the event.
Tijani who is the chief Executive Officer of BEL Tijani Limited explained that the marathon race with the cash prizes of 2 million naira for different categories of winners was designed to get the youth off the streets while discovering new spinsters among them.
The sponsor said that international marathon athletes from Kenya Tanzania and South Africa and local ones from neighboring states would participate.
He said the event would also feature entertainment by Hip hop stars including 9ice, Taye Currency, DJs, comedians and traditional adamo crooners.
Tijani maintained that In order to strengthen the interest of participating athletes in the maiden marathon, there would be prizes for 20 boys and 20 girls in the Ilesa indigenous category and another 20 for participants from other towns in osun state, while 10 men and women in the national category will go home with prizes.
While thanking the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran and other ijesa sons and daughters for giving him the opportunity to actualize his dream , Mr Tijani called on government to rebuild Ilesa stadium the venue of the event to promote sports among the youths as a way of reducing restiveness.