By Rasak Musbau
As part of efforts towards addressing societal disadvantage, marginalisation, unemployment and other challenges youths face today, the Akinwunmi Ambode administration in Lagos State has made sports development an integral part of its youth empowerment drive.
To the enlightened and open-minded, sport is an integral part of healthy living that contributes to the overall well-being of the individual. It not only brings about healthy body, it also increases the energy and mental alertness of a person by improving blood circulation and eliminating mental exhaustion. Today, sport has become a business concern that contributes to gross earnings of many countries.
In Nigeria, Lagos State remains a veritable breeding ground for budding sporting talents. Most of the celebrated Nigerian sportsmen began their sporting tutelage in Lagos. Current national soccer sensations, Odion Ighalo of Watford FC and Asisat Oshoala of Arsenal Ladies, both of England began their football career in Lagos. Same goes for national team players and later coaches Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia and Sunday Oliseh, as well as Victor Ikpeba, Obafemi Martins and Taribo West.
It is in order to properly leverage on sports as a platform for youth empowerment that the Ambode administration is deploying various strategies to harness the sporting potentials of youths in the state. One of the recent activities that mirrored the resolve of the Ambode government to raise the bar in sports development was the sporting event, tagged, ‘Lagos City Marathon’.
An initiative of the Lagos State Government, Lagos City Marathon communicates creativity as an approach to sports development. As it has become characteristic of the administration, the Private Sector Participation (PPP) model was deployed in the funding of the world class marathon event, with Access Bank and other partners such as Eko Atlantic, Eko Hotels & Suites and Lucozade Sport coming on board to sponsor the race.
The Lagos marathon, which attracted over 50,000 spectators, was put together to boost the sporting and tourism sectors of the state. Prior to the event, organisers of the race had reiterated their resolve to use the event to drive investments into the two sectors.
It is a universally accepted fact that sports, when well organised, are an excellent vehicle for teaching moral decision-making and promoting fairplay, trust, tolerance, teamwork, honesty and respect of the opponent, all of which stay with them for life. In this respect, sport is the best school of life; the skills learned through play, physical education and sports are fundamental to the holistic development of young people. These skills, such as cooperation and confidence, are essential for social cohesion and are carried through adult life. For this, across the world, governments focus on developing sports infrastructure to add great value to the life of the people.
While Lagos was still basking in the euphoria of successfully hosting the international marathon, officials of Barcelona Football Club of Spain visited Governor Ambode to inform him about their intention to establish their first African football academy in the state. In the words of the governor, the decision is in sync with his administration’s philosophy for sports development. “Whatever it is that we need to do to ensure that this project takes off as quickly as possible, we are ready to support you in the interest of all of us.”
The governor used the occasion to affirm his belief in sports as a solid platform to promote youth empowerment in Lagos. A member of the FC Barcelona Management Board, Pau Vilanova Vila-Abadal, who led the team to Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, said FC Barcelona decided to establish its academy in Lagos due to the impressive sporting record of the state and the opportunity to share the philosophy of the team with the numerous burgeoning soccer talents across the state.
According to Worldwide Director of Barcelona Academy, Oscar Grau, famous football stars like Lionel Messi, Andre Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique started their soccer career from Barcelona academy, adding that the club had a unique methodology of instilling great virtues in footballers. One dividend expected from this development is that it will create a very good platform for youth development and empowerment in the state. Many sports enthusiasts, including Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, have pledged their support for the success of the academy.
For obvious reasons, Lagos has continued to be a major destination for various sporting events. Recently, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) approved the hosting of the first ever Beach Soccer African Nations Cup in Lagos. The event, which is slated for December this year, is a major qualifier for the World Cup, and eight best beach soccer teams in Africa will converge in Lagos for the tournament. This, no doubt, will provide another boost for the state’s economy as tourism and other related activities would effectively benefit from the tourney.
If we are to offer the teeming youth in the country an opportunity to fulfil their God-given potentials, we need to leverage more on sports.
Equally, a complete overhauling of all sporting facilities in the country is needed. Since it seems those saddled with overseeing the nation’s prime sporting facilities are overwhelmed with the enormity of the responsibility, governments across the country can take a cue from Lagos by resorting to the PPP model. Similarly, the private sector needs to take more active part in the project to restore the nation’s lost glory in sports. All over the world, the initiatives and funds that drive sports come from the private sector. With the needed private sector drive, moribund school sports competitions across the country could be resuscitated.
Without doubt, Ambode is living up to his promise of anchoring his administration on instilling in Lagosians positive culture and value that would yield long-term result and out-live his tenure. He has continued to maintain and demonstrate his commitment to tackle the tough challenges taking the youth off the streets and make them productively engaged. With his hands steadily on the plough, the future could only get better.
• Musbau writes from Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.