Ambode tasks sports administrators on Commonwealth Games

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has called on sports administrators to use the opportunity of the Queen’s Baton Relay in Nigeria to make adequate preparation for the Commonwealth Games scheduled for the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia between April 4 and April15, 2018.

Governor Ambode, who received the Queen’s Baton at Alausa yesterday, said it was necessary for Nigeria to put its facilities in order to encourage the youths to excel in sports, adding that Lagos was in the vanguard of revamping all their sports facilities to give the athletes a conducive atmosphere to prepare and win medals for Nigeria.

The Governor, who received the Queen’s Baton from President of the CGA in Nigeria, Habu Gumel, congratulated Australia as the host of the Commonwealth Games next year.

Speaking earlier, Gumel promised that Team Nigeria would excel at the Commonwealth Games, noting that the country had always been a powerhouse in the Games.

He revealed that preparation was already on at the different sporting federations to ensure that Team Nigeria surpassed the 11 gold and 11 silver medals it won at the last Games in Glasgow.

Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, thanked Governor Ambode and expressed his willingness to collaborate with states willing to revamp dilapidated facilities for the good of Nigerian youths.

Dignitaries present at the short but colourful ceremony included the leader of the International QBR Team, Gideon Sam, Adam Best, Patricia Quayle, Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert and Colin Briggs. There were also Australian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Paul Lehman, Chief Solomon Ogba, Tunde Popoola, Mrs. Hauwa Kulu-Akinyemi, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, Dr. Jonathan Nnaji, Rev Ikpea and a galaxy of Nigeria’s former athletes and Paralympians, including Chioma Ajunwa, Yusuf Alli, Henry Amike, Falilat Ogunkoya, Enefiok Udo-Obong, Rashidat Ogundele, Bose Omolayo, Kehinde Paul and Virginia Ohagwu.