Parents hail Summer Camp as children get certificate for participation

The third phase of the Lagos Sports Summer Camp ended yesterday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium with parents relishing the experience enjoyed by their wards during seven days camping, which afforded them prospects of learning sports and skills of their choice.

The camp is a centre for children between ages nine and 14 to learn sports and other skills during the long vacation while still facing their education. It is organised by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s office and facilitated by the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC).

At the third phase in Surulere, sports learnt included taekwondo, table tennis, basketball among others and the skills taught were art and craft, tie and dye, makeup, hairdressing, hat making, how to make power bank and power bank battery among others.

A parent, Mr. Kasumu Isiaka Oladipo, who spoke on the camp, thanked the governor for the initiative. He said: “I monitored live all the activities that took place at the summer camp on the Lagos State government’s website.

“There I watched how the children were taught how to make power bank among others skills and also the basics of martial art and some other sporting activities. I want to say that I am impressed with what I saw.

“I think the state has done well for this noble idea and I want to say thank you to Governor Sanwo-Olu for approving it. Also, I want to thank the Lagos State Sports Commission for their effort in making sure that it was well organised”.

To another parent, Mrs. Omolara Ogunowo, she said she knows that the lives of some of the children, including her child, would never be the same again.

“I am very happy that my child was among the campers at this year’s Lagos Sports Summer Camp. By taking part in this summer camp, I am sure my son is going back home a very different person after what learnt here. And I also know that many of the children here would have learnt how to be self independent without their parents being around them,” Ogunowo said.

Some of the children at the Surulere centre also shared their experience with The Guardian during the week, while also expressing their delights over what they were taught and the impact it will have on them.

To Jimoh Esther from lkorodu, she said the seven days camping afforded her to learn how to be self-independent. “I want to say that I have learnt a skill that will make me a self independent child with less dependence on my parents. I am happy that I have the opportunity to be among the participants at this very educative and informative gathering”.

An excited Salami Halima Ayomide from Ketu-Epe spoke on how she will be going home a very different person because of the skills she was taught in hat making and power bank.

“I would have missed what I have learnt here if not that I was here at the camp. I was also exposed to taekwondo, which has boosted my interest in sport now. For all of these, I want to say thank you to the Lagos State government for this opportunity.

Also one of the campers, Abang Henry Odey from Ajegunle said he enjoyed all the activities such as live skills, movie night and dancing competitions he was exposed to during the camping, saying, “I want to say I enjoyed every bit of the activities offered us at the Surulere centre of the Lagos Sports Summer Camp in Teslim Balogun”.

Meanwhile on her role, one of the facilitators, Johanna Adeyileka, who spoke with the children on etiquette and morals, said the summer camp initiative was a noble one that will help mold the character of the children.

“What I discussed with the children where morals and etiquette and how to respect each other; being responsible for their own action and to respect themselves which is a very important aspect for them being in the society.

“We spoke about what they should and shouldn’t do. What etiquette is and not and the children responded so well. I also spoke to them about respecting one another, not being rude, to be clean and tidy and observe hygiene at all times,” she stated.

It will be recalled that the second edition of the Lagos Sports Summer began with the first phase in Badagry, while the second phase was held in Ikorodu before the third phase, which ended yesterday in Surulere at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

All the end of three-phase camping, children were kitted, given certificate of participation, souvenirs and some other gift items.