Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has challenged the incoming leaders of 44 sports associations to make athlete development and international success their central mission.
Key takeaways
- Sanwo-Olu said the chairmen will be assessed by the athletes and champions they produce, not by how long they remain in office.
- He called for measurable objectives, succession planning and structured talent-identification systems.
- The governor urged wider opportunities for women, girls, people with disabilities and other underrepresented participants.
- He cited Lagos’s recent national results and its staging of the National Intermediate Games as proof that effective systems can deliver results.
- Sports Commission director-general Lekan Fatodu described the associations as a key connection between athletes and their communities.
Governor demands a performance-driven approach
Addressing the chairmen during their inauguration at Lagos House in Ikeja, Sanwo-Olu said the new administrators must look beyond routine governance. Their record, he explained, would be defined by the talents they uncover, the athletes they improve and the champions they help create, rather than the duration of their appointments.
He told them that success should be measured through the athletes developed, institutions made stronger, records surpassed and champions produced while they are in charge.
The governor instructed the associations to establish clear, measurable goals and prepare succession plans. He also called for dependable structures to find and develop young athletes, alongside more chances to compete for women, girls, persons with disabilities and other groups that have traditionally been underrepresented.
Sanwo-Olu said Lagos needed an uninterrupted route for athletes, beginning in schools and continuing through training and competitive events to national, continental and international levels. He also encouraged the associations to attract increased backing from private-sector organisations to help build that pathway.
Pointing to Lagos’s latest displays in national competitions and the state’s hosting of the National Intermediate Games, he said those achievements demonstrated the results that properly functioning systems could produce. He challenged the chairmen to come back with practical proposals and warned them against simply preserving existing arrangements.
Commission seeks stronger sports partnerships
Lekan Fatodu, director-general of the Lagos State Sports Commission, said the inauguration underlined the administration’s commitment to advancing sport across the state. He urged the associations to deepen cooperation with athletes, coaches, businesses, schools and local communities.
Fatodu identified the chairmen as the essential bridge between athletes and the communities around their sports. Their responsibilities, he said, include finding promising talent, developing athletes, arranging competitions and improving technical expertise.
Dr Solomon Alao, chairman of the Lagos State Athletics Association, pledged that the newly appointed leaders would support the government’s sports programme. He also praised the administration for maintaining engagement with stakeholders.
