The facilities being put in place are not just for the games, but to bequeath sustainable sporting legacies in the state.
Ogun State Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka, stated this at a meeting with Chairmen, coaches and Secretaries of the various sports associations on ways Team Ogun will make a resounding success at the upcoming National Sports Festival (NSF), at June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, assuring that government would continue to priorities sports development.
Hon. Isiaka said Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration was committed to winning more Gold medals at the upcoming games to boost its sports developmental agenda, just as the facilities being renovated would be beneficial to future generations, hinting that the facilities would also be available for private organisations.
“The last time the Alake Sports Centre, Ijeja, got a facelift of this magnitude was around 40 years ago. The resources of government are not to focus on a particular area alone. It should spread across all sporting facilities”, he said.
He charged the coaches to look inward and discover new athletes for the state to compete with the already established ones, informing that government wants to put a stop to the recycling of state athletes to national and continental competitions.
Speaking, state Chairman, Gymnastics Association, Prof. Olutola Oduyale, who revealed that sporting associations had been expectant of the refurbishment of sporting facilities across the state, noted that by the state government’s partnership with private organisations would go a long way in easing the burden on government, lauding the current administration for revamping the sporting facilities.
On his part, state Chairman, Squash Association, Hon. Dipo Akingbade, decried the poaching of the state athletes by other states, saying the practice had been the bane of the development of major sports in the state.
He disclosed that two of the highest ranked squash players in Nigeria, who were indigenes of the state, had indicated interest in representing the state at the NSF.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Boxing Association, Mr. Christopher Somide, represented by a member, Dr. Razaq Oyadiran, appealed to the state government to organize a five-day trial boxers to determine boxers that would represent the state at the games, saying the association needs an Olympic-sized boxing ring amongst other world-class equipment, as most of the equipment were obsolete.
