12th February, 2012
Special Assistant on Grassroots Sports Development to Governor Babatunde Fashola, Prince Wale Oladunjoye said the primary aim of Lagos state is not to host and win this year’s edition of the National Sports Festival at all cost, but for the athletes to do well at the bi-annual championship.
While speaking on Rainbow F.M weekend, the soft-spoken administrator informed that hosting the tourney will afford Lagos state to contribute her quota to the development of sports in the country.
Prince Oladunjoye added that all participating states are expected to use the sports festival as a platform to discover budding talents for future purposes.
He said all states are to abide by the rules and regulations of the organisers, and decried the win-at-all-cost syndrome of previous hosts, saying such mind set defeats the objectives of the National Sports Festival when it was introduced some years ago.
Commenting on the state of preparedness of Lagos State, Oladunjoye said the recently inaugurated Local Organising Committee, LOC, will soon set up sub-committees to take care of various aspect of logistics and preparation for the showpiece.
Prince Oladunjoye said participating states are expected respect the rules of the festival, adding that there will be zero tolerance for use of mercenaries and foreign-based athletes during the Games.
The National Sports Festival holds in November in Lagos for the first time since Lagos was stripped of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT status.
By Bamidele Olowosagba