Lagos State has promised to back young people who use sport to address social concerns, after two campaigners presented separate endurance initiatives focused on healthier lifestyles, mental wellness and opposition to drug abuse.
The pledge came during a joint media briefing at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, attended by the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, and Lagos State Sports Commission Director-General Lekan Fatodu.
Endurance campaigns announced
- Dare Akinrodoye, widely called Coach Dreh, revealed plans for a multi-sport endurance event that will connect Osun State with Lagos.
- Olufemi Oshinubi announced his intention to run from Abuja to Lagos as part of an awareness campaign targeting drug abuse.
Fatodu said the state government would continue to discover and nurture sporting ability, insisting that the talents of young people must be properly valued.
He described sport as an effective vehicle for empowering youths, mobilising communities and contributing to national progress. Fatodu added that the experiences of the two athletes demonstrated how personal goals could be transformed into campaigns capable of motivating wider society.
Ogunlende said the government was obliged to support promising young people and provide a platform for them to succeed. He recalled first meeting Akinrodoye more than a year ago, following the athlete’s swim across the Third Mainland Bridge, before introducing him to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The commissioner also highlighted the need for greater mental-health consciousness and continued campaigning against drug misuse.
Project 226 set for November
Akinrodoye’s proposed event, titled “Project 226 – Endurance Has No Visa,” will take place on November 15, 2026, as a one-day triathlon-style challenge.
- The programme will begin with a 3.8-kilometre swim.
- It will continue with a 180-kilometre cycling leg.
- The challenge will conclude with a 42.2-kilometre run.
“I am more than an athlete and swimming coach; I also advocate for mental health and use sport as a development tool to communicate important messages,” Akinrodoye said.
His swim across the Third Mainland Bridge in 2024 was intended to raise awareness of depression, suicide prevention and the need for people to seek help. He is now looking for support from the Lagos State Government, corporate bodies, sports organisations and other interested stakeholders.
Abuja-to-Lagos anti-drug run
Oshinubi said his campaign against drug abuse started in 2024, when he completed an awareness run from Ibadan to Lagos. He has now unveiled a 21-day journey from Abuja to Lagos aimed at maintaining public attention on the impact of drug abuse on individuals, families and communities.
Ogunlende and Fatodu told both advocates that the state would support their projects, with the objective of developing people capable of representing Lagos State and Nigeria with distinction. They also urged government agencies, private-sector organisations, sports administrators and community leaders to work together in support of programmes that unite athletic performance with public enlightenment.
