Nigeria Content Online

Today,
one thousand runners are expected to snake through the streets of Lagos
as the Nigeria Independence Corporate Run takes off.

The race, which is
being organised by the Lagos State Sports Endowment Fund (LSSEF), will
take off from the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, where Nigeria’s flag
was hoisted after the lowering of Britain’s Union Jack to signify
Nigeria’s independence from its colonial masters.

From there,
competitors will run through Ahmadu Bello Way and turn off under the
bridge for the final stretch of the road, which will terminate at
Atlantic City on Victory Island.

The runners, most
of whom would be Chief Executive Officers of blue chip organisations in
Lagos as well as leading government officials in Lagos State, are
rearing to go.

Tunde Bank-Anthony,
Secretary of the fund said, the race promises to be a colourful event
given the calibre of individuals who would be taking part in it.

“We have done
everything to ensure that we have a very successful race. I can assure
you that it will turn out to be one of the most interesting and
colourful races you have witnessed in Lagos in a long time. It is not
every day we see top business executives and top government officials
hitting the streets of Lagos to participate in a race,” he said.

Anthony Oni, a
retired rear admiral and chairman of the fund, who briefed journalists
during a meeting of the organisers and some agencies of the Lagos State
government on Thursday, said the reason corporate business executives
were chosen for the race is partly due to the need for them to take
time off their very busy and take matters of fitness seriously. He
added that their contribution to the development of Lagos State was
another reason for their involvement in the race.

Momentous

On the rationale for the race, Oni said fifty years in the life of a nation, requires special celebration.

“It will be 50
years since Nigeria gained her independence in 1960. For the world’s
most populous black nation…a 50th anniversary is a once in a lifetime
opportunity,” Oni said.

“The Nigeria
Independence Corporate Run is among the numerous events Lagos Sports
Endowment wants to utilise for re-engineering and charting the course
for development of sports in Lagos and Nigeria at large.”

With all the
details of the race already sorted out by the organisers, some of the
agencies of the Lagos State like Lagos State Traffic Management
Authority, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State
Ambulance Services, LAGBUS Asset Management Limited, have indicated
their readiness to co-operate with the fund to ensure successful
conduct of the race.

One issue the
organisers are taking seriously is the provision of medical personnel
to take care of any emergencies that may arise during the race.

Akin George, a
sports medicine practitioner with the Lagos State Government who was at
the meeting on Thursday said the organisers are not likely to be
overwhelmed by any medical emergency that may arise.

“We have taken steps to ensure that response to any medical
emergency is immediate. Even though organisers are not liable for any
mishap because participants have brought signed documents from their
doctors indicating that they are fit to participate in the race, we
have still gone ahead to put facilities in place that would enable us
to respond within the shortest time possible, to any untoward
development,” George said.