Hamzat charges students to maintain excellence as Lagos donates equipment to 644 schools

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, at the weekend, charged students across the state to ensure they maintain the excellence for which the state is known for, saying the state should be at the forefront in every sporting activity in the country.

Speaking before handing over different sports equipment to representatives of 644 schools across the state, the deputy governor also tasked heads of schools to encourage participation in sports among the students to ensure holistic education in line with the ‘THEME’ agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu government.

He said the donation to the six educational divisions of the state through the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund (LSSTF) is to encourage sporting activities in schools across the state, adding that the gesture was a bold statement in line with the THEME agenda.

Hamzat, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Mojisola Daba, said: “I urge all tutor generals/permanent secretaries, principals and staff of all public schools in the six education districts to ensure the appropriate use of the distributed sports equipment appropriately to achieve the desired effect to the glory of Lagos State.”

Also speaking at the event, Executive Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Sola Aiyepeku, said the LSSTF was set up in 2017 to raise funds through public and private donations for the development of sporting activities and facilities in the state, adding that LSSTF has been creating and uniting opportunities capable of diverting the attention of the youths from crimes to focusing on the development of school sports.

He revealed that LSSTF is currently constructing an Olympic-size swimming pool, warm up/training pool equipped with a 500-seater spectator stand at Rowe Park, which would be delivered in two months.

In his speech, LSSTF’s Executive Secretary, Olaposi Agunbiade, advised the students to shun vices that could mar their future.

He informed the students that LSSTF is desirous of constructing state of the art sports centres in each of the six education districts before the end of the year.

He enjoined Lagosians and the private sector to support LSSTF to reduce youths restiveness in the society.

Agunbiade also disclosed that the Mobolaji Johnson Indoor Sports Hall, as well as all five outdoor sports courts in Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, are currently undergoing complete rehabilitation, geared towards grooming and developing future champions.

Among the equipment given to the schools were table tennis boards, spike shoes, jerseys, footballs, volleyballs, relay batons, chess boards and scrabble equipment, as well as first aid boxes.