24th July, 2012
The much awaited Opeifa Lagos Padfootball Championship will kick off on 5 August at the Agege centre.
Over 500 participants are expected to take part in the championship that will last for two month across the four centers in Orile Agege, Ajeromi\Ifelodun, Surulere and Ikeja local councils .
The Managing Director of E-Sports Association, Dapo Liadi said he is impressed with the numbers of entries received and promised the participants good organisation throughout the tournament
“We have inspected all the designated venues and I am impressed with the facilities put in place. It is going to be a memorable event because we have even received entries from interested persons outside Lagos State, “he said.
Liadi explained that padfootball is a game played among the youths at game centres. But he is sad that despite the popularity of the game in Europe, padfootball is still relegated to the background in Nigeria.
Liadi disclosed that his association will do its best to take the game to secondary schools and higher institutions in the state, saying that the association is planning to organise inter-schools padfootball competition in the nearest future.
“We have been facing a lot of challenges in padfootball in the past, but the game is gradually gaining popularity. And it is because we are not relenting in our efforts to ensure the game compete with football and other sports in the state,” he said.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa, the sponsor of the tournament, will officially declare the competition open at Agege local council comes August.
—Sunday Akintoye