The Lagos state government has urged political office holders and philanthropists in the state to support sports at the grassroots.
Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, the State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, gave the advice at the sixth edition of Badagry Divisional Football Association/RAK League, which ended on Saturday evening.
The league was sponsored by RAK Development Foundation, an NGO founded by Ogunlende.
According to the commissioner, sporting events provide opportunities for youths to show their talents.
“I will seize this opportunity to charge political office holders, philanthropists that are capable of hosting such events to do it.
“Sporting events like this engage people, the youths are given the opportunity to showcase their talents.
“We are in a digital era, we just finished our international youth last week and it was all about digital literacy.
“As you can see, everyone here is recording, people are watching from abroad as we are streaming live. It just gives our young talents that opportunity to be spotted,” he said.
Ogunlende said that he was excited with the development of sports in Badagry, especially football and the impact of the tournament on youths.
“I am happy because this is about the sixth year that we have been doing this tournament. We started small and today we are impacting the youths.
“We have touched no fewer than 2,000 individuals and given them the opportunity to showcase their talents, do what they love doing, which is sports.
“Today,we brought three musical artists to play for them and the spectators.
“I am delighted with the way things have gone .I am encouraged to continue doing this.
“I was doing this before office,I am doing this now in office, I will do it after office.
“The number of lives we are impacting and the hope that we are giving these young people is something I never imagined,” he said.
The commissioner said that one of the teams that played in the league had moved to the state level platform, playing and winning on a higher platform.
Dr Martins Osondu, the Chairman, BDFA, said that the sixth edition of the competition was the best so far.
Presentation of cheque of N500,000 to the winner of Badagry Divisional Football Association/Real Acts of Kindness League, Young Stars FC in Badagry.
According to him, 67 football clubs registered for the competition as against 45 clubs the previous year.
“This year, I think we did very well taking all the games to all communities in the division so that everyone could participate.
“Four clubs have emerged winners out of all the clubs that started the competition and they will be receiving cash awards and medals,” he said.
Osondu said the association was working on introducing the female league in 2025, promising it would be as exciting as the male’s.
“I believe that we will experience something more than extraordinary in the next edition,” he said.
Osondu urged the state to build a stadium for the division.
“Badagry division has been doing sports for over 45 years, but we don’t have a stadium, not even a small complex”, he said.
NAN reports that Young Stars FC defeated Chekas United FC to emerge winner of the league.
NAN also reports that the winner got a trophy, medals and a cash prize of N500,000 for their performance.
Also, Chekas United FC received N300,000 and medals, while Legend FC, which came third, received N200,000 with medals.
The best referee and the highest goal scorers also received medals.
(NAN)
