Oluwaloseyifunmi Boosts Indigenous Winners’ Payouts at 2025 Ikogosi Marathon
The air in Ikogosi-Ekiti crackled with energy as more than 5,000 runners stormed the rugged hills for the 2025 Ikogosi Marathon, a 17.5-kilometer test of grit stretching from Ilawe through Erijiyan to the famous warm spring town — and it was here that philanthropist and tech entrepreneur Ayodele Lawal Oluwaloseyifunmi added a personal touch that lit up the day for indigenous athletes.
While elite runners claimed top honors — two million naira (₦2,000,000), one million, five hundred thousand naira (₦1,500,000), and one million naira (₦1,000,000) for first to third places — the spotlight turned to the indigenous category, where the state’s pride and raw talent shone brightest. Local athletes pocketed one million, five hundred thousand naira (₦1,500,000), one million naira (₦1,000,000), and five hundred thousand naira (₦500,000) respectively, before receiving an unexpected bonus from a familiar face.
Ayodele Lawal Oluwaloseyifunmi, CEO of Oluwaloseyifunmi Mega City Phones, surprised the six indigenous podium finishers with an extra fifty thousand naira (₦50,000) each, citing his passion for nurturing homegrown athletes. “They carry our community’s spirit,” he said. “Supporting them means investing in Ekiti’s sporting future.”
Beneficiaries included Tunde Segun Adeyemi of Otun-Ekiti (male winner), Sunday Ijoko of Ijero-Ekiti (runner-up), and Agbalaya Alayande of Ado-Ekiti (third). In the women’s field, Ona Ara Popoola of Ilawe-Ekiti led the pack, followed by Imisioluwa Ajayi of Igbemo-Ekiti and Maria Ojanbati of Omuo-Ekiti.
Oluwaloseyifunmi’s gesture echoed his earlier show of support in September, when he gifted power banks to winners of the Osetoba Marathon in Emure-Ekiti. His growing reputation as a consistent backer of athletics is fueling excitement across Ekiti’s running community — dedication to humanity.
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