SWAN At 50: Ambode Confirms Nov. 26 Date With Lagos SWAN

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has expressed solidarity with Lagos chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, indicating his pleasure ahead his formal investiture as Grand Patron of the association as has been designed to mark the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the body.

Chairman of Lagos SWAN, Fred Edoreh, revealed in a statement that the office of the governor has sent words to confirm the date of the event which shall also feature an honours ceremony for members who have distinguished themselves in the profession and other industries as well in service to sports development, society and humanity.

"I can tell you that we have got words from the office of our governor on the event. His Excellency has confirmed Thursday, November 26 for the investiture and the honours ceremony for our stars and legends.

The occasion will also afford us an opportunity to appreciate the patrons, friends and supporters of Lagos SWAN - individuals, institutions and corporate organisations - who have aided us these years to grow. It will be great for us to celebrate the golden jubilee of our association in such a special way.

"It is a red carpet day for sports writing. It is a celebration of excellence and inspiration, a day for all of us in Lagos SWAN to recommit to the profession in pursuit of excellence while also strengthening our partnership with our government and all stakeholders in sports to achieve the vision of using sports as a platform for youth, social and economic development."

Lagos Holds Seminar For Sports Officers

In an effort to re-engineer sports development in Lagos and enhance performance of its sports officers, the Lagos State Sports Council organised a two-day seminar held at the board room of the council, Rowe Park, Yaba. 

The seminar organised in conjunction with the Office of the Lagos State Head of Service, Public Service Office (PSO) was to remind the sports officers on the rudiments of administration and the basics of civil service rules, working etiquettes, discipline among others. 

 

Speaking at the seminar, Director of Sports, Lagos State Sports Council, Dr. Kweku Adedayo Tandoh, said the refresher induction course is to better equip staff to continue to carry out their duties without infringing or breaching rules. 

 

Tandoh explained that the sports officers are better exposed and more guided through different trainings and seminars in the last one year and this has improved their handling of various sports associations they deal with.

 

"You realise that the sports officers are our major tool in re-engineering sports in Lagos state. The more we train them, the more we expose them in term of administration, the better the output we'll get. The officers are the one who work with the local governments and they are also our secretaries of sports associations, therefore it is imperative that  we continue to train and retrain them to make the work easier for them. At the end of the day we are able to get more out of them because many of them are now better equipped and in that light, they are able to bring much more to the table in terms of their performance. 

 

I can categorically say that in the last one year or thereabout, the performance of many of our sports officers has really improved and this is telling in the handling of various sports associations," said Tandoh. 

 

Sports development policy in Lagos state is in continuum in the last 16 years and with the new administration of Governor-elect, Akinwunmi Ambode, the Director of sports said there wouldn't be any deviation in the development plan while expecting the incoming government to build on the achievements of the outgoing administration and even take it further. 

 

He said "The incoming government is a continuum, It’s a government that preach continuity for the policies of Lagos state that has been working for the past 16 years, so we don't envisage much deviation from what we have been doing. We expect that the new government will build upon what is already on ground and even take it to a greater heights.  We are ready to continue to work with the development plan that is in place".

 

Dr Tandoh served as the  Secretary General of the Local Organising Committee, LOC for the last National Sports Festival, the "Eko 2012 Games" and he is optimistic that postponed 19th National sports festival "Paradise Games" which should have been held last year in Cross Rivers state will hold later this year following the successful conclusion of the National elections. 

 

"I believe very soon we will hear from the National Sports Commission, NSC who are the custodian of the festival regarding the new date but I'm quite optimistic that the festival will still hold sometime this year" said Tandoh.

Winners Golden Bet Acquires Stakewise

 

Nigeria’s leading sports betting company, Winners Golden Bet has taken ownership of another sports betting outfit, Stakewise.

 

Winners Golden Bet says the acquisition of Stakewise became necessary as a bailout option with the company faces series of teething problem in its operation and more importantly for Winners Golden Bet to expand its scope of business operation

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General Manager of Winners Golden Bet, Mr. Ayowole Sajimi said with the taking over of Stakewise, Winners Golden Bet has inherited all the liabilities of the company and has since paid all the outstanding winnings of the stakers of Stakewise.

 

“We want to announce that stakewise is currently trading on the platform of Winners Golden Bet since the acquisition few weeks ago. Stakewise has been successfully integrated into our operation,” Sajimi said.

 

The General Manager called on all agents of Stakewise to feel free come on board in the new dispensation as they are all welcome on the train of Winners Golden Bet, the leading and reliable sports betting company in Nigeria.

 

“We still want to assure stakers who patronised Stakewise before not to lose faith as their bettings are secured with Winners Golden Bet,” he said.

Nigerians Celebrate Okoya-Thomas At Evening Of Tributes

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The Nigerian sports family converged on Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos to observe an epic Evening of Tributes for the late sir Chief (Dr.) Alexander Molade Okoya-Thomas.

The event was organised by the Office of Sports, Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development for the late sole sponsor of Asoju Oba Senior Table Tennis Championship who died on 1 February, 2015.

The Evening presented the golden opportunity for sports stakeholders in Lagos and indeed Nigeria to pay glowing tributes to Molade Okoya-Thomas, who was a Joint All Nigeria record holder in 4 x 220 yards relay race while at Baptist Academy. Lagos..

The occasion not only drew people from Okoya-Thomas' first love; Table Tennis to the Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium named in his honour on 8 June, 2010 by Lagos State government, but also people from other Nigerian sports were present.

Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire in her tribute said the deceased's legacies and good works speak for him and will remain indelible in the heart of many people.
"Lagos State government, sports lovers in Nigeria will miss this great who we cannot but be celebrating today," she said.

Banji Oladapo, Executive Vice President of African Table Tennis Federation, ATTF, described Okoya-Thomas as a human monument, philanthropist and a father of all sports particularly table tennis in which he was a colossus sponsor.

The demise of the longest sponsor of table tennis in Nigeria and Africa will have far reaching effect on the youth development in Nigeria and on the continent.

Chief Jonathan Ogufere who led Association of Sports Veterans to the occasion said of the death of their Patron: "We are yet to come to term with the reality of his death.

No we have not. He was a unique Nigerian, detribalised, selfless and a born philanthropist who used God's blessings to enrich mankind." The Veterans called on the children of the deceased not to let the Asoju Oba tourney died with Molade Okoya-Thomas. "We want you to keep the love for Asoju Oba competition and other sports as did your father in his time," Ogufere said.

Former broadcaster, Fabio Lanipekun recalled that in 1968 when the Asoju Oba competition began, Egypt and Ghana were ahead of Nigeria in table tennis, "but by 1973, Nigeria overtook them and has remained invincible in Africa.

The Asoju Oba championships have been the kindergarten, nursery, primary and secondary schools and participants from 1968 have always ended up as Nigerian and African champions, men and women."
Peter Rufai, former Nigerian goalkeeper wanted Nigerians to learn a moral lesson from the life of the late Okoya-Thomas who he described as a father to many of the Super Eagles players during their days in the senior national teams.

The Evening of Tributes also witnessed speeches from ex champions of Asoju Oba tourney, players and coaches.

A short documentary that depicts the life of the late Molade Okoya-Thomas was shown to the dignitaries while choral performances from Lagos Choir added glamour to the Evening

Late Okoya-Thomas Is An Epitome Of Humility - Says Adefulire

The Lagos State Government has continued to shower encomium on Late Chief Alexander Molade Okoya-Thomas, who died on Sunday, first of February, 2015.

The Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, at the Evening of Tribute in honour of the Asoju-Oba of Lagos, said the deceased legacies and good work to humanity would forever speak for him,stressing that he had played positive roles in the lives of many people he came across.

According to her, the 18th National Sports Festival organised by the Lagos State Government in 2012, was adjudged the best sports festival ever organised in the country based on the unflinching support of late Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas who worked assiduous to help the state to record success.

The Deputy Governor, said the deceased was described as a great sports philantropist because of his impact in empowering the youths and also assisting many people to accomplish their dreams, adding that Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, always described him as an epitome of humility and dedication of service.

Nigerians Celebrate Okoya-Thomas At Evening Of Tributes

The Nigerian sports family converged on Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos to observe an epic Evening of Tributes for the late sir Chief (Dr.) Alexander Molade Okoya-Thomas.

The event was organised by the Office of Sports, Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development for the late sole sponsor of Asoju Oba Senior Table Tennis Championship who died on 1 February, 2015.

The Evening presented the golden opportunity for sports stakeholders in Lagos and indeed Nigeria to pay glowing tributes to Molade Okoya-Thomas, who was a Joint All Nigeria record holder in 4 x 220 yards relay race while at Baptist Academy. Lagos.

The occasion not only drew people from Okoya-Thomas' first love; Table Tennis to the Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium named in his honour on 8 June, 2010 by Lagos State government, but also people from other Nigerian sports were present.

Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire in her tribute said the deceased's legacies and good works speak for him and will remain indelible in the heart of many people.

"Lagos State government, sports lovers in Nigeria will miss this great who we cannot but be celebrating today," she said.

Banji Oladapo, Executive Vice President of African Table Tennis Federation, ATTF, described Okoya-Thomas as a human monument, philanthropist and a father of all sports particularly table tennis in which he was a colossus sponsor.

The demise of the longest sponsor of table tennis in Nigeria and Africa will have far reaching effect on the youth development in Nigeria and on the continent.

Chief Jonathan Ogufere who led Association of Sports Veterans to the occasion said of the death of their Patron: "We are yet to come to term with the reality of his death.

No we have not. He was a unique Nigerian, detribalised, selfless and a born philanthropist who used God's blessings to enrich mankind." The Veterans called on the children of the deceased not to let the Asoju Oba tourney died with Molade Okoya-Thomas. "We want you to keep the love for Asoju Oba competition and other sports as did your father in his time," Ogufere said.

Former broadcaster, Fabio Lanipekun recalled that in 1968 when the Asoju Oba competition began, Egypt and Ghana were ahead of Nigeria in table tennis, "but by 1973, Nigeria overtook them and has remained invincible in Africa.

The Asoju Oba championships have been the kindergarten, nursery, primary and secondary schools and participants from 1968 have always ended up as Nigerian and African champions, men and women."

Peter Rufai, former Nigerian goalkeeper wanted Nigerians to learn a moral lesson from the life of the late Okoya-Thomas who he described as a father to many of the Super Eagles players during their days in the senior national teams.

The Evening of Tributes also witnessed speeches from ex champions of Asoju Oba tourney, players and coaches.

A short documentary that depicts the life of the late Molade Okoya-Thomas was shown to the dignitaries while choral performances from Lagos Choir added glamour to the Evening

Ayeni Commends Management Team of Lagos State Sports Council

The House Committee on Youth Sports and social Development, has commended the management team of Lagos State Sports Council, LSSC, for living National Sports Festival tagged EKO 2012 Games.

The tour of Lagos state sport facilities if the oversight function of the House Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development and it is being inspected quarterly by the committee.

Its chairman, Lawrence Babatunde Ayeni, who made the statement on Tuesday while on tour of sports facilities, said the council had replicated the commitment of Governor Babatunde  Raji Fashola, who according to him always advocate for zero tolerance towards the maintenance of government’s structure and facilities.

According to Ayeni, it was imperative for the committee to embark on the tour having approved a huge amount of money for the Ministry of Youth Sport and social development to organize the EKO 2012 Games and also procure world class sports facilities to aid the growth of sports in the state.

An elated chairman of Lagos State Sports Council, Kwesi Tandoh said the council would not be caned away by the committee’s pass mark but would continue to work hard to uphold the maintenance culture which Governor Fashola instituted.

Tandoh said the committee’s gesture would definitely encouraged them to forge ahead in improving the standard of sports facilities in order to produce world class athletes who would make the nation proud in national and international competitions.

He thanked the Lagos State House of Assembly for supporting the council’s laudable programmes towards elevating the standard of sports and also setting the pace for sports development, adding that preparation towards the Calabar 2014 National Sports Festival is ongoing.