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“We are headed for
a new Lagos where children are healthy; a new Lagos, where children
won’t be child labourers to support their families; where love, smiles
and laughter reign. I can see that Lagos. I can feel it. I want to get
there quickly,” – Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola.

Well said. How I
would love to see Lagosians; especially parents, appreciate where you
are coming from with this vision, key into it and in one accord, run
with it. Because, simply put, I guess all you are saying is “listen to
me children, I want to see you succeed. I want to see you excel
morally, spiritually, physically and academically. I want to see you
become future leaders and successful citizens of Lagos State and by
extension, Nigeria.”

What needs to be done?

And one of the ways
this can effectively happen is by meeting you at your greatest point of
need and your greatest point of passion, right now. So, in order words,
it is safe for us to assume that you are telling millions of the
youngsters in Lagos State that henceforth, all the necessary structures
and infrastructures to create the enabling environment to ensure a
secured future for Lagos State children, will deo-volente, be of
international standards.

Can this ever
happen in Lagos State? The answer is simple. By their fruits, you shall
know them. BRF, your performance so far in your attempts to revive the
lost glory of this state is impressive and very obvious. Well done. But
I make bold to say there is the urgent need for you to turn your
search-light on issues concerning sports development, especially at the
grassroots.

We are told by the
UNESCO, UNICEF and even FIFA, that for the youth, anywhere in the world
today, to be meaningfully engaged, impacted, and eventually prepared
for future leadership roles, they must be met at their greatest point
of need, which is education and their greatest point of passion, which
is sports. A marriage of these two; education and sports, will speedily
bring about the Lagos State, of your dream. Yes, it is possible and we
know you can do it.

Grassroots sports development

Sports (especially
football) can help discourage youngsters from taking drugs, smoking,
and the consumption of alcohol. Grassroots sports conveys values;
hence, it is a school of life. Sports can enable children and teenagers
assume responsibilities and learn to show respect to others within the
various teams or individual sports they belong. Grassroots sports has
been and is still being used effectively in volatile areas, to
positively engaging children, teenagers, and young adults, in order to
discourage them from violent activities. Grassroots sports are also a
powerful tool to release tension and generate dialogue. Grassroots
sports enable cultural differences and political agendas dissolve on
every pitch or court as the case maybe.

Should such a
potent tool be trivialized? No! This is where the issue of having a
conducive structure, devoid of any form of acrimony, must be put in
place in Lagos State. Apart from the envisioned synergy between the
sports and education ministries – from the local government area
councils to the state levels, the existing organs administering sports
in the state should work together as a team.

Development, we are
made to believe, is the process of changing and becoming larger,
stronger or more impressive, successful or advanced, or causing
somebody or something to change positively and consistently. It may
therefore be appropriate, to imply that sports development is the
process of making sports, in all its ramifications, become larger,
stronger, more impressive, successful, advanced and of course, make it
go through the required positive changes, in a very consistent manner.
In other words, or maybe simply put, having the right structures and
infrastructure in place.

My own BRF, there
are millions of extra ordinarily talented athletes in Lagos state, who
for reasons beyond them, are not likely to do well academically. They
are in schools all over Lagos state right now. How does the present
system make them smile? As a matter of fact some of such young ones are
of the opinion that schooling is a waste of time and believe me
sincerely, some parents agree with their children. This is one of the
issues responsible for that heinous crime called age falsification.

Some exceptionally
good athletes, who are also academically okay, are denied the
opportunity of expressing themselves, or not allowed to even
participate fully in sports, by their parents, because there is no
clear-cut programme (a pyramid structure), that can guarantee a
sporting career for our young ones in Lagos State.

Eko o ni baje o, Amen.