The Adeyemi Bero Auditorium at Alausa Secretariat buzzed with excitement as students from public secondary, colleges, and tertiary institutions in Lagos State gathered to receive state-of-the-art sporting equipment. This initiative was made possible by the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund (LSSTF).
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Bolaji Ogunlende reaffirmed his commitment to grassroots sports development.
Over 644 public secondary schools, five state technical schools, and five state tertiary institutions benefited from the LSSTF’s generous gesture.
In his address, the Governor emphasized the importance of sports in education. He acknowledged the challenges faced by Nigerian youths, including political, ethnic, and religious instabilities.
By promoting sports, he said the LSSTF aims to divert their attention away from negative influences such as internet fraud, drug abuse, and armed robbery.
“It is against this background that the Lagos State Sports Fund (LSSTF) is creating and uniting opportunities capable of diverting the attention of the youth from crimes by focusing on the development of school sports in Lagos State. We are here today to further demonstrate our understanding that the benefits of Sports in education are vast and are not just physical benefits. While many subjects at schools are taught primarily in the classroom, sports and physical education provide a great opportunity for students to head outside, get active, and focus on developing different skills,” he said.
“Sports and physical education,” the Governor stated, “provide a great opportunity for students to step outside the classroom, stay active, and develop essential life skills.”
He assured that this intervention would extend to more schools across the State.
He said that in recognizing the positive impact of sports on youth development, the LSSTF remains committed to fostering a healthier, more engaged society.
Governor Sanwo-Olu urged students to take ownership of the newly acquired sports equipment by protecting these resources from vandalism, theft, and misuse is crucial for sustaining the program’s success.
Executive Secretary of LSSTF Olaposi Agunbiade expressed gratitude to the Governor for his unwavering support while promising additional projects that would elevate Lagos State’s position in the sporting arena.
The distributed equipment includes table tennis boards, boxing punching bags, basketball hoops, cricket helmets, taekwondo kicking pads, judo mats, swimming caps, badminton rackets, tennis rackets, tracksuits, soccer balls, jerseys, and more.