The Ondo State Government has announced its readiness to sell the state‑owned football clubs, Sunshine Stars and Sunshine Queens, both based in Akure. Sunshine Stars currently compete in the Nigeria Professional Football League, while Sunshine Queens play in the second division of the Nigeria Women Professional Football League.
State Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Mr. Bamidele Ologunloluwa, disclosed in an interview with Crest FM that the clubs will be open for sale or privatization to suitable investors by the end of the 2022/2023 league season. He emphasized that privatization is necessary for proper administration and could result in the government either handing off the clubs entirely or partnering with investors. If a larger organization expressed interest, the clubs would be sold immediately. “If a club like Manchester United wanted Sunshine Stars as a feeder team, we would sell without hesitation,” he said, adding that the sale would benefit the state, the players, and sports development, noting that “the government has no business in business.”
The commissioner clarified that any buyer must have a solid track record, but he also mentioned that no serious interest has been shown so far, and the clubs will not be marketed at this time to avoid distracting them from the ongoing NPFL season. “We have just registered a company—Ondo Sports Limited, which will encompass Sunshine Stars FC, Sunshine Queens, and Rising Stars. At the end of the season we will move to full‑scale privatization,” he explained. He argued that this move is ultimately advantageous for the state, even if some people do not yet understand it, and predicted that the governor will be praised once the process is complete. He concluded by stating that the right company taking over Sunshine Stars will create more jobs, provided the memorandum of understanding includes requirements such as offices in the three senatorial districts and ministries in those districts to ensure local benefits.
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