The Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere was electrified recently with the presence of over 6,000 students of Lagos State’s public and private secondary schools taking part in the maiden edition of the Heritage Bank-Lagos State Skoolimpics .
The three-day School Sports Championships, fashioned in the tradition of the Summer Olympic Games, is sponsored by Heritage Bank with support from the Lagos State Sports Commission.
The Teslim Balogun Stadium complex was turned to a carnival-like environment with the students competing in five sporting events – Athletics, Swimming, Basketball, Table Tennis and Handball.
The Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, in company of the Director-General of the Sports Commission, Mr. Adewunmi Ogunsanya, who represented the Special Adviser on Sports to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Deji Tinubu, lit the Skoolympics’ flame with the Torch earlier carried round the stadium by Skoolympics’ Ambassador, Mrs. Mary Onyali to signal the official commencement of the games which ends on Friday.
Speaking at the event, the Director General of the Sports Commission, Mr. Ogunsanya commended Heritage Bank for sponsoring the games, reiterating the commitment of the State Government to provide an enabling environment for the youth to showcase their talents in schools sports championships.
“Lagos is ever ready to create necessary platforms for the development of sports at the school level for our youth to develop their talents. It is our hope that the partnership with Heritage Bank will endure for bigger contents in the future,” Adewunmi said.
In his remarks, the MD of Heritage Bank, Mr. Sekibo said the organization of the maiden Skoolimpics in Lagos is a dream come true for the bank, adding that, “we are so glad that Lagos graciously accepted the partnership to develop our youth. This tournament has come to stay. This is a pilot edition which we are determined to improve upon every year”.
“Heritage Bank believes in creation and this Skoolympics is a creating process. There’s no doubt that we are creating the future champions for the country. Athletes who will be in the future like our Brand Ambassador, Mrs. Mary Onyali, Chioma Ajunwa and lot of our great stars who had retired,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State representatives have won the 3rd “Lagos under 18 -Fives Championship”, held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere recently.
The tournament sponsored by the Lagos State Sports Commission and organised by the Lagos State Fives Association witnessed participants from various States, including Lagos, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kwara, Ogun, Jigawa and Osun.
