It was an emotional moment for Enefiok Udo-Obong, the former Technical Director of the Lagos State Athletics Association (LSAA). LSAA celebrated him following his appointment as the Technical Advisor to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Athletics Development program. As an Olympic Games gold medalist, he will also serve as an advisor to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Athletics team for the Paris Olympics 2024.
During the send-forth organized by LSAA under the leadership of Solomon Alao on Thursday, July 11 in Lagos, Udo-Obong was described as the driving force behind many of the state’s ambitious development programs.
Dr. Modupe Ogunbanjo, an LSAA board member representing Alao, expressed the association’s excitement about Udo-Obong’s achievements as well as his growing stature as a World Athletics Certified Trainer holds promise for Lagos athletes and coaches.
Over the past three years, Udo-Obong’s guidance has led LSAA to host more competitions than any other body nationwide and Alao believes these competitions, particularly the Deji Tinubu (DT) Lagos series, directly contributed to over 50 athletes receiving scholarships to the USA.
Additionally, the DT Lagos series played a crucial role in qualifying one of The National Relay Teams for world championships and, ultimately, the Olympics. Many athletes achieved personal bests during the DTLagos series.
Udo-Obong’s impact extends beyond Lagos. His energy, ideas, and initiatives have yielded remarkable results, and LSAA eagerly anticipates benefiting from his expertise on the international stage.
Udo-Obong expressed gratitude for LSAA’s support, especially from the chairman who championed his ideas.
Reflecting on his journey, he emphasized that being a former athlete doesn’t mark the end of a career; continuous engagement and self-improvement are essential.
As the Director of School Sports at the Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr. Oluyomi Oluwasanmi praised Udo-Obong’s patriotism and passion for sports development. She charged other former athletes to follow the Olympian’s example.
LSAA also announced Billy Disu as the interim Technical Director, filling the void left by Udo-Obong.
Notably, Udo-Obong is the second Nigerian appointed by the Saudi Arabia government, with former Super Eagles defender Mike Emenalo leading the football revolution in the Kingdom.