…As ROSFEST 2024 commences in Lagos
The Director- General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Gafaar Oluwatoyin, has disclosed that five of the Lagos State government sporting facilities currently being renovated will be ready by the end of the first quarter (Q1) 2024.
“The renovation is ongoing and as I speak with you, five centres are almost ready; this includes Teslim Balogun, Agege Stadium, Gbagada, Ajeromi, and Ifako-Ijaye. Ikorodu is also getting ready for commissioning,” he said during the maiden Rotary Sports Festival (ROSFEST) games 2024 opening ceremony in Lagos.
Speaking on developing sporting facilities in other parts of the state, Oluwatoyin disclosed that the renovations are underway in phases. “We are about to end phase one; phase two has started – if you go to Badagry, the space is already prepared. Contractor will move to the site more aggressively anytime from now”.
According to him, the focus of the state government is to provide enough facilities for the youth, in supporting sports men and women in sports development. He said that preparing the facilities for public use will accelerate the rate at which sports develops in Lagos, and will give Lagosians more reasons to engage in sporting activities.
Oluwatoyin said that sports have a direct connection with mental well-being. According to him, the state is leveraging on sports to reduce mental health issues in Lagos by providing sporting facilities to facilitate the way people do exercise.
Ifeyinwa Rita Ejezie, District Governor (DG), Rotary District 9110, said the partnership with the Lagos State Sports Commission is needed to accelerate sporting activities among Rotarians in District 9110.
According to her, Rotarians offer selfless service to humanity within their communities; hence, engaging in sporting activities will create other opportunities to bond and fellowship together.
“No doubt these sports activities are coming at a time when we all need some concerted effort on our mental health; we need to take care of ourselves as much as we take care of the community.
“Apart from sports helping our state of physical well-being; it no doubt helps our mental well-being, and helps lower the risk of any medical issues,” Ejezie said.
She kicked off ROSFEST 2024 by playing the first-ever scrabble game of the Rotary Sports Festival against the director general of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Gafaar Oluwatoyin.
Alozie R. Nsirimobi, Chairman of Rotary District 9110 Sports and Fellowship committee, said the competition will cover 12 different sports. The sports are Scrabble, Chess, Ayo, draughts, Badminton, Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis, Table Tennis, Tug of War and Football.
According to Nsirimobi, the grand finale of the ROSFEST 2024 which started on Wednesday, 17 January, is scheduled for March 9, alongside the winners’ gala nite, while the finals for football tournaments will be held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena.
“We have tagged this episode of ROSFEST as ‘Sport for Service’. Rotarians find service in all activities and our vision with this is that it grows from inter-club competition as ROSFEST to Nigeria Districts Sports Festival (NISFEST) to African Zones (AFRISFEST) and may be, for Rotary International Sports Festival (RISFEST),” he said.
