18th June, 2010
Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola government’s drive to develop sports from the grassroots has continued to receive commendations.
The latest applause for the government is from the Oba of Ijede, Oba Fatai Adeboye Oresanya, who is thanking Fashola for the for the ongoing construction of a mini-stadium in Ipakan community, Ijede.
The mini-stadium, which will contain a multi-purpose Indoor Sports Hall, indoor court and eight dressing rooms with a 5,000 seating capacity has been in the pipeline since 2001.
Speaking to P.M.Sports, Oba Oresanya praised the governor and the Sports Commissioner, Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele for making the community’s dream of having a standard sports facility a reality. He said but for Governor Fashola and Prince Adele, the dream may have been a mirage. But like Oliver Twist, he is calling for more state presence in the community.
The Baale of Ipakan community, Chief Musatafa Lasisi told P.M.Sports that the journey to have a youth centre like the mini-stadium for the use of the community started way back in October, 2003 when they wrote to the Managing Director of the National Electric Power Authority, NEPA to approve a piece of land owned by the authority for a stadium.
After getting the approval, he said the community wrote to the then Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Development, Segun Dawodu for government’s assistance to build a stadium on the parcel of land but he could not act before he left office.
“We remained resolute by writing to the Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, who took over from Dawodu. He also could not do much before leaving the office,†Chief Lasisi said.
He disclosed that it is the government of Fashola, who then set machinery in motion by calling for the survey plan of the land which Prince Adeniji-Adele worked on and today the result is the Ipakun Community Mini Stadium, which is almost completed, and is already earmarked as one of the venues for the forthcoming Lagos Junior League.
—Wale Joseph