By Ayomide Otitoju
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday inaugurated 44 chairmen of sports associations in the state, charging them to strengthen grassroots development, identify emerging talents and create sustainable pathways for athletes to achieve national and international success.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony at Lagos House, Ikeja, Sanwo-Olu described the appointments as a major step towards repositioning sports administration and development in the state.
The governor urged the new sports administrators to set clear and measurable objectives, establish succession plans and develop systems for identifying, nurturing and transforming young talents into elite athletes.
He said Lagos’ reputation as the Centre of Excellence must go beyond talent discovery to providing adequate structures, training opportunities and competitive platforms for athletes to excel.
Sanwo-Olu said sports should not be viewed merely as recreation but as a vehicle for discipline, education, employment, entrepreneurship and economic growth. He noted that major sporting events also create opportunities in sectors such as hospitality, transportation, entertainment, media, technology, fitness and sports medicine.
The governor called for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector, stressing that increased private investment would provide a stronger foundation for sports and athlete development.
He charged the newly inaugurated chairmen to uphold transparency, accountability and discipline, while maintaining active competition calendars and creating opportunities for women, girls, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented talents.
Sanwo-Olu said their performance would be measured not by the length of their tenure but by the athletes developed, institutions strengthened, records broken and champions produced.
The governor also cited Lagos’ recent performances at national sporting competitions as evidence of what could be achieved when talent is supported by a functional system.
He stressed the need for a continuous pathway linking schools, training grounds and competitions to national, continental and global sporting stages.
Sanwo-Olu also highlighted Lagos’ hosting of the National Intermediate Games as part of efforts to consolidate the state’s leadership in sports development and provide opportunities for young athletes across the country.
The Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, said the inauguration reflected the administration’s commitment to developing the state’s sports sector.
Fatodu said government alone could not drive sports development, calling for stronger partnerships among government, sports associations, athletes, coaches, corporate organisations, schools and local communities.
He described the new chairmen as critical links between athletes and their sporting communities, with responsibilities including talent identification, athlete development, competition organisation, technical capacity building and creating opportunities for athletes to compete and succeed.
Fatodu added that the state had deliberately selected accomplished men and women across various sporting disciplines to provide leadership, mentorship and opportunities for young athletes.
Speaking on behalf of the chairmen, the Chairman of the Lagos State Athletics Association, Dr Solomon Alao, assured the government of their commitment to advancing its sports development agenda.
Alao said the opportunity to engage directly with the governor had reinforced their confidence in the administration’s commitment to the associations.
He pledged that the new leadership would work to deliver credible, progressive and impactful results across their respective sporting associations.
