Lagos to hold evening of tributes for late Okoya-Thomas

THE Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development, Office of Sports is planning to organise an Evening of Tributes in celebration of the late sports philanthropist, Sir Chief (Dr.) Molade Okoya-Thomas. 

  The occasion fixed for March 3 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere is scheduled for between 4.00 and 6.00 p.m.

   According to the Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Wahid Oshodi, late Okoya-Thomas was a role model for a lot of Lagosians for his generosity and support for grassroots sports development in the state, adding that he would surely be missed especially by the sports family.  

  A statement from the Public Relations Officer, Office of Sports, Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development, Olumide Filade, says Okoya-Thomas’ contribution to sports in Lagos and Nigeria cannot be underestimated as he single-handedly sponsored the yearly Asoju Oba Table Tennis Cup for more than four decades as the longest running table tennis competition in Africa.

  Before his demise on February 1, 2015, he was the chairman of the Lagos State Sports Endowment Fund, served as Chairman of many sports fund raising committees and was instrumental to the formation of Team Nigeria in 2003.