Kunle Adelabu
-Advocates for focus on school, community sports
Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, a chieftain of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Lagos State and former Minister of Works, has charged the Lagos State House of Assembly through the representative of Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. (Dr.) Aro Moshood Abiodiun (AMA) on the need to budget adequate funds for the completion of the Igbogbo Stadium project.
The elder statesman who served as the senator representing Lagos East between 1999 and 2023, also urged the three council chairmen in Ikorodu Constituency II to take charge of the maintenance of the stadium instead of leaving it in the hands of the Lagos State Sports Commission to manage.
Ogunlewe gave the charge during the finals of the 2nd edition of the Ikorodu Constituency II All Stars Unity Cup and that of the U -17 Unity Championship, tournaments initiated and sponsored by Hon. Aro which took place at the Igbogbo Stadium. The stadium has been under construction for about four years.
“What this stadium is today is something we have been striving for since the 1970s, during Jakande’s time. It’s finally happening.
“I have discussed with the chairman (Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA), that we are going to speak with AMA (Hon. Aro Abiodun Moshood) that the problem with big projects like this stadium is that the House does not budget adequate funding for it and there is need to change that.
“So, AMA, try as much as possible to put enough funding into this stadium so that it can be completed.”
Speaking on maintenance and why the management of the stadium should not be under the Lagos State Sports Commission, Sen. Ogunlewe said:
“Secondly, there’s the issue of maintenance. When the project is completed how will it be managed and who is going to manage it? If this stadium is solely given to the sports commission to manage, they’ll handle it like they did with Onikan Stadium.
“I always go to Onikan every Sunday, but it has no toilet and so many aspects of the stadium are not properly maintained and I did not hide my reservations for them. The stadium was built with huge amount and they are allowing it to rot away. If this is added to their responsibility, it may turn to be a disaster.
“I charge the three chairmen in Ikorodu Constituency II to come together to ensure you have a part in it. The community project shouldn’t be left solely to the government. Government always go to sleep once there is no budget to work with and sometimes, its deliberate because such money are usually diverted into personal use. This they do shamelessly,” the elder statesman said.
The former minister whose son, Adeseye Ogunlewe Jnr, is an international athlete, also advocated for a return to school and community sports development, calling for the use of the facility for schools’ inter – house sports.
“Once the stadium is commissioned, school inter – house sports should be encouraged to hold here because our primary and secondary schools don’t have facilities to train with
“Community development through sports is essential and because we lack that we no longer develop our youths. Nigeria is the only country that is always bringing all her players for any tournament from abroad. When we were younger, Nigeria’s players were scouted from secondary schools like Ahmadiyyah, MDHS, Kings College and others.
“Unfortunately, many of these players from abroad are more dedicated to their clubs and they ae always cautious whenever they are playing for Nigeria. Because of this, we need to go back to community sports development. It is through the community and school sports that we developed our players and athletes for national teams in those days.”
Sen. Ogunlewe also queried the rationale behind national league teams selling their players, adding that such does not encourage professionalism and growth of Nigerian league.
He thanked Hon. Aro for his quality representation charging him to also focus on sports development especially in schools.
“Thank you, AMA, for all that you are doing. You are doing well in many areas, but I want you to extend it to school sports. That is where you will see good football being played.”
