The Chairman, Media and Publicity Sub-committee for Lagos 2026 National Intermediate Games, Gbenga Omotoso has charged all committee members to see the Games as a priority event that must be delivered.

The maiden Lagos 2026 Intermediate Games will run from October 1-15 at various centres across the state. It is the first time in 14 years that Lagos is hosting another major sporting event after EKO 2012 National Sports Festival.

Omotoso, who is the Commissioner for Information in Lagos State held an inaugural meeting with members of the Media and Publicity Sub-committee on Thursday evening, where he urged them to see the Games as a major task.

“This is Lagos, and everything we set out to do must be accomplished with all sense of responsibility,” Omotoso said.

According to him, Lagos State Governor Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu is looking forward to hosting one of the best sporting event ever staged on Nigeria soul.

“Our Governor has given us the task to host a befitting Games. We have a total of 13-sub committees for this event, but as we all know, the success of all other committees depend largely on how well the Media and Publicity sub-committee is able to deliver in spreading news and reaching out to Nigerians. I know this is the period of FIFA World Cup, but we must create space to push out news around the Lagos 2026 Intermediate Games. It is very important,” Omotoso stated.

At the inaugural meeting of the LOC held at the Conference Room of the Chief of Staff, Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja, recently, the co-chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Lekan Fatodu revealed that a total of revealed that between 13,000 to 15,000 athletes are expected to participate in the Games.

Fatodu, who is also the Director General of Lagos Sports Commission, charged all members of the LOC and sub committees to brace up and give the Games the best attention it deserves.

Chairman of the LOC, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Sam Egube, equally tasked all members to focus on how to host a Game that will be enviable and live the test of time.

In particular, Egube warned all committee members to desist from turning any platform associated with Games into political arena where election results and political campaigns are discussed.

“Any platform created for this National Intermediate Games must not be used to discuss election results, political campaign, singing praising of political leaders or announcing family birthday. It should be purely on issues concerning the Games and how Lagos can host a successful event.”

We have men and women capable of hosting the best Game ever in the history of this country and I am convinced we will make Lagos and Nigeria proud. To host a Game of this magnitude requires wisdom, maturity and we should submit to the will of the majority,” Egube, a former Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State, stated.