As part of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s administration’s commitment to fostering youth engagement and sports development, the Lagos State Government, in partnership with a tech company, TECNO, has unveiled the “Sanwo-Olu Mini Stadium” an 8-Aside AstroTurf Football Pitch at Sura under bridge, Lagos Island.
The partnership which signifies a new era for grassroots football in Nigeria has seen TECNO transform underutilised fields into state-of-the-art training centres and impact on the development of local talents to achieve their potentials.
Speaking at the unveiling, the Director General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu expressed gratitude to Tecno for its corporate social responsibility initiative, constructing sports facilities to promote youth empowerment and community development.
“The facilities aims to nuture talent for national and international opportunities and infrastructure play a significant roles in achieving this. We appreciate Tecno’s efforts in putting this together and commit to maintaining the facilities alongside the community.”
Fatodu applauded Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s support for sports development and youth empowerment in constructing eight mini stadia across Lagos State to provide local access to sporting facilities.
While encouraging corporate partners to support multi-sports facilities, not just football, Lagos welcomes diverse interests and our athletes deserve suitable facilities, he added.
Honourable Commissioner, Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende commended the initiative, describing it as a way of engaging the youth and sports lovers in the community for meaningful adventure.
“We want to take our youth off the street and this is another way we are able to demonstrate this as a government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for given us this opportunity to once again give our youths an opportunity to compete on a global scale.
“The government can not do it alone. We must continue to form collaboration and this is one of the outcomes of such collaborations we are clamouring for,” said Ogunlende.
According to the Marketing Manager, TECNO, Olumide Yomi-Omolayo said, “We are not only supporting the present African footballers. We are supporting the future of African football and that’s why we are creating this on the Island.”
Yomi-Omolayo thanked the Lagos State Sports Commission for making the project a reality while supporting the development of footballers at the grassroots level.