Sports
Parents Hail Sports Summer Camp In Lagos
The third phase of the Lagos Sports Summer Camp ended yesterday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium with parents relishing the experience enjoyed by their wards during seven days camping, which afforded them prospects of learning sports and skills of their choice.
The camp is a centre for children between ages nine and 14 to learn sports and other skills during the long vacation while still facing their education. It is organised by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s office and facilitated by the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC).
Tidesports source gathered that at the third phase in Surulere, sports learnt included taekwondo, table tennis, basketball among others and the skills taught were art and craft, tie and makeup, hairdressing, hat making, how to make power bank and power bank battery among others.
A parent, Mr. Kasumu Isiaka Oladipo, who spoke on the camp, thanked the governor for the initiative.
“I monitored live all the activities that took place at the summer camp on the Lagos State government’s website.
“There I watched how the children were taught how to make power bank among others skills and also the basics of martial art and some other sporting activities. I want to say that I am impressed with what I saw.
“I think the state has done well for this noble idea and I want to say thank you to Governor Sanwo-Olu for approving it. Also, I want to thank the Lagos State Sports Commission for their effort in making sure that it was well organised,” he said.
To another parent, Mrs. Omolara Ogunowo, she said she knows that the lives of some of the children, including her child, would never be the same again.
“I am very happy that my child was among the campers at this year’s Lagos Sports Summer Camp. By taking part in this summer camp, I am sure my son is going back home a very different person after what learnt here. And I also know that many of the children here would have learnt how to be self independent without their parents being around them,” Ogunowo said.
Some of the children at the Surulerecentre also shared their experience with Newsmen during the week, while also expressing their delights over what they were taught and the impact it will have on them.
To Jimoh Esther from lkorodu, she said the seven days camping afforded her to learn how to be self-independent. “I want to say that I have learnt a skill that will make me a self independent child with less dependence on my parents. I am happy that I have the opportunity to be among the participants at this very educative and informative gathering”.
An excited Salami Halima Ayomide from Ketu-Epe spoke on how she will be going home a very different person because of the skills she was taught in hat making and power bank.
“I would have missed what I have learnt here if not that I was here at the camp. I was also exposed to taekwondo, which has boosted my interest in sport now. For all of these, I want to say thank you to the Lagos State government for this opportunity.
Also one of the campers, Abang Henry Odey from Ajegunle said he enjoyed all the activities such as live skills, movie night and dancing competitions he was exposed to during the camping, saying, “I want to say I enjoyed every bit of the activities offered us at the Surulerecentre of the Lagos Sports Summer Camp in Teslim Balogun”.
Meanwhile on her role, one of the facilitators, Johanna Adeyileka, who spoke with the children on etiquette and morals, said the summer camp initiative was a noble one that will help mold the character of the children.
“What I discussed with the children where morals and etiquette and how to respect each other; being responsible for their own action and to respect themselves which is a very important aspect for them being in the society.
“We spoke about what they should and shouldn’t do. What etiquette is and not and the children responded so well. I also spoke to them about respecting one another, not being rude, to be clean and tidy and observe hygiene at all times,” she stated.
It will be recalled that the second edition of the Lagos Sports Summer began with the first phase in Badagry, while the second phase was held in Ikorodu before the third phase, which ended yesterday in Surulere at the TeslimBalogun Stadium.
All the end of three-phase camping, children were kitted, given certificate of participation, souvenirs and some other gift items.
Heartland Technical Manager, Emmanuel Amuneke has praised his players for not losing focus at the crucial moment in Sunday’s 2-1 home win over Shooting Stars in a NPFL Matchday 24 fixture in Owerri.
The Naze Millionaires defeated the Oluyole Warriors through Chukwuma Agor and John Bassey goals in the 31st and 88th minutes with Mustapha Adam’s 80th minute spot kick a mere consolation for the visitors.
Amuneke while speaking to journalists shortly after the encounter, said his boys showed the zeal and determination to seal the three points and that despite the shenanigans of the centre referee, Kolawole Emmanuel, the boys were never troubled.l
“We were eager to get the three points and we were aware Shooting Stars are a good side and won’t allow us to have our way easily,” Amuneke told journalists in Owerri.
“We planned for them and almost throughout the entire game, they were never a threat to our team. We were able to control the game from the beginning. It was unfortunate how the game ended. We were just focussed on the three points and we are thrilled we got it. It was a very good game from both sides but we subjected them to constant pressure almost throughout the game.”
While he was asked if he believed his boys could finish the season impressively, Amuneke was evasive but noted that he and his players would continue to work harder.
“Everything in line is possible but we know that nothing happens without hard work. We will continue to work harder and continue to see how we can grow as a team. We have a lot of young players in the team. Some of them just got their topflight breakthrough.
“We didn’t lose focus at the time of the controversies. We continued to do the same thing we have been doing and taking the game to them.”
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, turned the sod of the new Olympic-standard 25,000-capacity Bayelsa Stadium project at Igbogene, Yenagoa, as part of the activities marking the fifth anniversary of the Senator Douye Diri administration.
The former Nigerian leader performed the ground-breaking ceremony as Governor Diri restated his appeal to the federal government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), oil firms operating in the state and the private sector to join hands with his administration to develop sporting talents.
The Federal Government through the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) equally thumped up Governor Diri for initiating the project.
Dr. Jonathan expressed delight over the project, saying as a Bayelsan, he was duty bound to celebrate with the state government for the progress so far achieved.
He lauded Diri’s developmental strides, urging him not to rest on his laurels and that the contractor and the state government should ensure the project met the highest standards.
Jonathan also called on the state and federal governments to set up a sports fund to cater for sportsmen after their active days and encourage younger ones to be involved in sports.
He said: “This is my state and I have to celebrate with the government for the progress so far made. This is an iconic project that will develop the state. Please do not rest on your laurels as we want this stadium to meet the best standards.
“I am happy with the presence of relevant federal government officials. I hope they will guide the state well and support where necessary.
“As a country, we must have a fund to care for sportsmen. The federal and state government can think about it so that the younger generation will be interested in sports.
“I am happy that you gave a target of 24 months and I hope that by that time I will escort President Tinubu to Bayelsa to inaugurate it.”
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has condoled the family of former Nigeria international midfielder, Ayo Ogunlana, who died in Kaduna on Friday after observing his early-morning walk.
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, showered tributes on the departed midfield pearl, who was a star attraction during a number of important Nigeria FA Cup battles in the 1980s and held sway in the middle for the Super Eagles in the late 1980s, and at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Algeria.
“We are very sad to learn of the sudden passing of Ayo Ogunlana, only a couple of weeks after the demise of another former Eagle, Moses Effiong (a member of the 1980 AFCON-winning Green Eagles squad, in far-away USA). Ogunlana was a great midfielder who made playing football look so easy with his majestic touches and turns, and his magnificent free-kicks.
“We pray that the Almighty will grant both of them eternal rest and grant the families they have left behind the fortitude to bear the losses.”
Ogunlana was magisterial in the midfield as Nigeria overhauled Guinea and Zimbabwe to qualify for the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations, and was imperial against Cameroon in a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Ibadan that the Super Eagles won with an emphatic 2-0. He also played in the 1990 ECOWAS Cup competition that Nigeria hosted in Kaduna.
