TAIWO ADELU
Pastor Shobande (left) with his daughter, Boluwatife
The maiden JAC Motors Abeokuta 10km Race holds on Saturday, 2 November, 2019 amidst pomp in the ancient capital city of Ogun State, Abeokuta.
It was a race that the locals came out in their numbers to participate because they were so excited that this was happening in their domains. One of of the participants was an Assistant Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Ogun Province 6 Region 12, Shobande Jonathan Olugboyega with his daughter Favour Boluwatife. This was a father competing with his daughter.
“I have always been a marathoner since 1985 when I used to feature in the Milo’s 42.591km race,” the 60 years old Pastor Shobande told P.M.EXPRESS at the starting point of the race around 9am on Saturday.
“I competed in the 1985, ’86 and ’88 Milo marathon where I used to pick between 10th and 12th positions. I am not competing for money today, but I want to make a statement that old age doesn’t prevent anybody from running and it’s good to engage in sporting activities to exercise the body,” said Shobande, a retired teacher of Asero High School in Abeokuta. He retired on 12 June, 2019 on his birthday.
Meanwhile, his 15 years old daughter, Boluwatife, who participated in the race told P.M. EXPRESS that she was taking part in marathon race for the first time. According to her, though she used to feature in 100m, 400m and 1,500m race for her school, Abeokuta Grammar School, her father encouraged her to register for the JAC Motors Abeokuta 10km Race to test her strength and made a debut in long distance race competition.
The SS2 student said she hope to have a future in athletics.
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Sorry my dad is shobande not shonibare.
Nice one! Congratulations to our own Great Ife Pst Shobande. This is the family we know and recognise as that of Pst Shobande.
This Reporter, TAIWO ADELU, could have done better by giving us the name CORRECTLY as SHOBANDE and not SHONIBARE pls.
Kindly give the correction of the name the widest publicity possible. Thanks.
Indeed, Pastor Sobande is my bosom friend and brother. I want to congratulate his courage because hardly will you find a father at 60years of age running a marathon race with his daughter or son. You have made history sir. God will continue to strengthen you in Jesus name.
This is a great one. The funny thing about it is that if the reporter had taken time out to write properly, the story is more sensational than what us written.
Pastor Jonathan Shobande is an ASSISTANT PASTOR IN CHARGE OF PROVINCE. Making him one of the most senior pastors of RCCG in the whole of Abeokuta.
Now this is a challenge to everyone and a motivation to those of us who are interested but not acting on it.
Kudos
PST Shibande has been an enigma from the beginning . He braced all odds to be an achiever. He has a never say die attitude. Am so proud of him