17th August, 2015
Taiwo Adelu
Sports Director of State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Lagos State, Mr. Olu Akapo, has warned schools taking part in the maiden Kiddies
Olympics which will hold in Lagos to desist from using mercenaries during the competition.
The first of its kind Kiddies Olympics in Nigeria will take place in Lagos from 24-31 October this year.
Akapo, who is also the National President of SUBEB Sport Directors, said during a meeting with Lagos SUBEB Sport Officers at the weekend that the Project Management Committee, PMT of the tournament views using mercenaries for Kiddies Olympics, which will feature U-13 boys and girls in the 2015-2016 school session, as a serious offence, hence the need to warn participating schools ahead of the event.
“We won’t condone any school using mercenaries for the Kiddies Olympics. This is an offence that will attract stiffer punishment and we will also go to the extent of reporting such schools to the government. To this end, we have concluded plans to adopt Exponent 21 for the Games. Exponent 21 will enable us focus strictly on the age, weight and height of each pupil taking part in the tournament,” Akapo said.
Meanwhile, the PMT has unveiled venues that will host District Qualifiers ahead of the Kiddies Olympics. The qualifiers will hold
from 6-8 October.
According to the Secretary of Lagos SUBEB Sports Officers, who is also a member of the PMT, Mr. Kolawole Ogundipe, the qualifiers will take place across the six education districts of the state.
He disclosed that Agege Stadium will host the qualifiers for District 1, while schools in District 2 will hold their qualifiers at Evans Adelaja Model School, Bariga. For the schools in District 3, the playground of King’s College, Lagos Island will be their venue, while NIS pitch at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos will play host to schools in District 4.
Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, Lagos will host schools in District 5, while the playground of Olusosun Primary School will be the venue for schools in District 6.
Chairman of the PMT, Mr. Nurudeen Aluko, said the organisers will leave nothing to chance to ensure that the first edition of the Kiddies Olympics is well packaged, adding that fruitful discussions are ongoing with companies in Nigeria’s telecommunications, insurance, oil and gas as well as manufacturing sector.
“Let me call on companies and individuals to join hands with us to give our children great future to develop their talents in sports,” Aluko said.
Kiddies Olympics is put together by Klozit Limited in conjunction with Isaac Daniels with active collaboration with State Universal Basic Education Board and Association of Lagos SUBEB Sport Officers.
It will feature sports such as Football, Track and Field, Scrabble, Table Tennis and Handball with over 2,000 schools in both public and private schools in Lagos State participating.