Lagos plans grass turf for Teslim Balogun Stadium, says Ogunsanya

State to bid for National Stadium
Super Eagles’ fans in Lagos will soon start watching their darling team at the Teslim Balogun Stadium following the state government’s plans to change the venue’s artificial football pitch to an all grass turf.

The senior national team has shied away from the Lagos stadium because of its artificial turf, which, according to experts, puts players at risk of injury.

The last time the Super Eagles played in Lagos was in the early days of former coach, Samson Siasia, who led the team in a friendly against Liberia. And with the poor state of the National Stadium, also in Surulere, the senior national team has played their international games in every part of the country except Lagos.

Speaking on the sports facilities in the state at the weekend, Director General of the Lagos Sports Council, Adewunmi Ogunsanya, said the state has completed the planning of the new pitch for the Teslim Balogun Stadium, adding that the artificial turf would soon be removed for a new grass pitch.

According to Ogunsanya, “We want to attract international matches to Lagos, which in the first place is the home of Nigerian sports.“To achieve that, we will change the technology to make way for sprinklers and other ancillary facilities that will make the pitch suitable for big games.”

Ogunsanya also revealed that the state will bid for the National Stadium, to bring it back to life.“We bided for the National Stadium some time ago but our bid was rejected by the then Federal Government. We will bid for it again because that facility has to be put to proper use if it must function as the hub of the country’s sports development,” he said.