Saturday, 23rd of September was the day the Sun Shine Star Football Club and the Osun United Football Club met in Ijebu-Ode and clashed. The incident was shortly after a football competition between Sun Shine Star Football Club and the Osun United Football Club at the Dipo Dina Stadium. Sunshine Star is owned by Ondo State government while Osun United is owned by Osun State. Ondo State Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Saka Yusuf Ogunleye fired the first salvo when he addressed a press conference alongside his Information and Orientation counterpart, Mr. Yemi Olowolabi and alleged that the supporters of Sun Shine Star football club were critically injured after an attack was launched by suspected thugs from Osun State. About 40 vehicles with the inscription of Osun logo were according to him mobilized to the stadium, alleging that many of those who attacked the Ondo indigenes were suspected loyalists of the Osun State APC, considering their outfits. Comrade Biyi Odunlade who is the Commissioner for Social Protection, Sports and Special Needs, Osun State presented his version two days after that of Ondo State. ‘The second leg match at Dipo-Dina Stadium was hitch free until the interval (half-time) when Mr Duke Udi who is the Sunshine FC Coach and supporters of the team started embarrassing and harassing officials, players and the supporters of Osun United FC. The officiating teams were not spared from the verbal venom. The match continued until the injury time when the referee allowed an offside for the Sunshine FC to score its controversial third goal, while he denied Osun United a direct free-kick which might have given another goal advantage to make the match a 3-2 result and put the aggregate at 3-5 in favour of Osun United FC. This did not go down well with supporters of the Osun United FC and they began to register protests. The supporters of the Sunshine FC who had been hauling abusive words on the Osun United supporters quickly used the opportunity and launched a physical attack on them, leading to pandemonium. During the attack, the second goalkeeper of Osun United FC and the captain of the team, Akeem Olalere, a.k.a Kebu were grievously injured by the attackers. Five of the buses that conveyed Osun United FC and supporters to the stadium were vandalized by the supporters of the Sunshine FC in league with those of Gateway United and the Remo Stars’, he said. The Commissioner who pointed accusing fingers at the officiating referee, Mr Ferdinand Udoh and submitted that he was biased also stated that complaint relating to his actions has been sent to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
