BY SUNDAY AKINTOYE
The Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, has described the just-concluded Nigeria Future Leaders Festival as a huge success, stating that the future of Nigerian children is bright.
Fatodu made this commendation during the Nigeria Future Leaders Festival themed “Accelerating Action for Gender Equality”, held recently at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Speaking with journalists, the Lagos State Sports Commission DG expressed satisfaction with the talents displayed by participating schools, noting that the government would continue to support gender equality in all spheres of life.
He further explained that the state government, under the leadership of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, remains committed to promoting gender equality, stressing that the era of giving preferential treatment to the male child at the expense of the female child is over.
“This is a good initiative from the convener of this programme, and the state government is in support of it. We are going to do everything possible to ensure that gender equality is sustained. We will continue to give equal opportunities to both male and female children in sports and other sectors in the state,” he said.
Fatodu also commended the organisers of the Nigeria Future Leaders Festival for hosting a successful programme and assured them of the government’s continued support for future editions.
The convener of the programme, Folashade Falokun, expressed profound appreciation to the DG of the Lagos State Sports Commission and other invited guests for their support in making this year’s edition a memorable one.
In her remarks, the 11th Edition focused on the girl child, noting that over the years, greater attention has often been given to the male child within families and society at large.
Falokun emphasized that both male and female children deserve equal rights and opportunities in society.
She therefore called on religious, political, traditional, and community leaders to continue embracing and promoting gender equality across communities.
She also extended appreciation to all sponsors, the Lagos State Sports Commission, and the Lagos State Football Association for their immense support towards the programme, while promising an even bigger and better event next year.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 35 primary and secondary schools participated in the Nigeria Future Leaders Festival. Students showcased their talents in various activities including choreography, dancing competitions, spelling bee competitions, cultural dance performances, football matches, taekwondo demonstration and several other engaging events.