The Lagos State Sports Trust Fund on Thursday took another step towards developing sports at the grassroots level by donating sports equipment to 1,020 public primary schools in Lagos, The PUNCH reports.
Since 2019, the group has been delivering equipment such as table tennis boards, running vests and pants, spike shoes, footballs, basketballs, volleyballs, chess sets with clocks, Scrabble boards with dictionaries, draught boards, tennis rackets, and first aid boxes with medical kits to schools in Lagos.
At this year’s official presentation held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, the Chairman of LSSTF, Wahid Oshodi, described the initiative as part of the state government’s commitment to grassroots sports development. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu recently inaugurated the LSSTF board, led by Oshodi.
“Sports is more than recreation; it is a tool for education, discipline, health, and social cohesion. It teaches teamwork, resilience, and leadership — values that align with the THEMES+ Agenda of the present administration, particularly in the areas of education, health, and youth engagement,” he said.
Recalling the situation before the establishment of LSSTF, Oshodi noted that many public institutions lacked basic equipment to introduce pupils to sports such as football, athletics, table tennis, basketball, volleyball, chess, and more.
“Today, LSSTF is taking another decisive step to bridge that gap. In collaboration with private sector partners, we are distributing standardised sports kits and equipment to 1,020 public primary schools across the state. Talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not. By equipping our schools, we are creating a pipeline for the next generation of Lagos, Nigerian, and global sports stars,” he added.
Oshodi expressed gratitude to Governor Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, for their unwavering support and prioritisation of grassroots sports development. He also urged the Local Government Education Authority to put the equipment to effective use in discovering talents from schools.
The Executive Secretary of LSSTF, Olaposi Agunbiade, also expressed appreciation to sponsors and called for more support to extend the initiative to all schools in the state.
“To our special guest, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, thank you for your continuous support for LSSTF, education, and youth development in Lagos State. Your commitment to investing in our children through sports inspires us daily.
“To our partners and sponsors — Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, Sterling Bank, LASACO Assurance, and Kessington Adebutu — your financial and material contributions turned this vision into reality. We look forward to deeper collaboration going forward,” Agunbiade said.
Some of the accounting officers and pupils who were present at the event also promised to ensure the proper use and maintenance of the equipment, while newly engaged Lagos State coaches are being trained to maximise its impact.
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