14th December, 2011
The 2011 J.K. Randle Olympic Dinner was held yesterday amid pomp and circumstance as people from all walks of life gathered at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos to honour distinguished athletes and reputable sports administrator, the late J.K. Randle.
The annual event, which had the presence of the creme de la creme and veteran Olympians, is an avenue to recognise the achievements of those who had represented the country at the Olympics and done the nation proud.
Chairman of the occasion, Musiliu Anibaba, extolled the virtues of J.K. Randle by mentioning some achievements of the Olympian before he passed away shortly after his return from Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games.
“I don’t know how to refer to the late Dr. J.K. Randle. He was a role model to many of us. We will never see that kind of person that has the pedigree and education that J.K. Randle had again.
“We are happy that he consented to lead Team Nigeria to Melbourne Olympics. His death was a big blow to Nigeria because he was a man that spent all his energy to develop sports in the country,†said Anibaba.
The late Randle was the first Nigerian student to play cricket for the country when he played against the then Gold Coast in the pre-independence inter-colonial indigenous cricket series.
Among the dignitaries that graced the Dinner included the Secretary General of Nigeria Olympics Committee, NOC, Tunde Popoola, who represented the Vice President, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, Commissioner of Sports in Lagos State, Waheed Enitan Oshodi, former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Ola Vincent and President of Nigeria Olympian Association, Prince Henry Amike.
— Bimbo Ajayi