From Robbers’ Den To Sports Complex

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For decades, under the bridge at Oworonsoki had been a den of robbers and hoodlums.  The abandoned sports complex under the bridge by the interchange has for as long as  could be remembered, been home to social miscreants and other undesirables.
These criminal elements had converted the place into a hideout, and rob innocent  people who passed by the area at night.

So bad was Oworonsoki loop that the place was dubbed a dark spot due to the  activities of men of the underworld. Once it gets dark, motorists dare not alight or  drop passengers in the area.

It was in a bid to chase off hoodlums and criminals from the area that the Lagos  State government, through the Ministry of the Environment, decided to rehabilitate  and upgrade the abandoned Oworonsoki Mini Sports Complex and hand it over to the  community.

“The development of this interchange into a sports complex was born out of the  desire to create an enabling environment for the youths of Lagos State to channel  their energy towards productive endeavours, keep them away from crime and help  develop sports skills which are capable of not only making them great men and women,  but also making the state and the nation proud.

“It will be recalled that like many open spaces and public recreational grounds,  this parcel of land had been taken over and converted into all sorts of use that are  inimical to the aesthetics of the environment, health of the people and most  especially, undermining the security of lives and properties. These illegal  activities had made the state look like one big slum with haphazard development,”  said Dr. Muiz Banire, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment.

According to him, this unacceptable negative development informed the decision of  the government to aggressively pursue reclamation of open spaces through out the  state, create recreational parks and bring back as much greenery as possible.

The commissioner said government had the initial challenge of convincing the youths  that their playground was not about to be taken away from them and converted to  other uses, urging them to make judicious use of the complex.

Banire added that the parks and gardens created all over the state were being put to  judicious use by the people of the state, reiterating that open space protection was  good for a community’s health, stability, beauty and quality of life.

“I charge all residents, leaders and youths of this area to keep constant watch over  this project to ward off vandals and miscreants so that it will serve the purpose  for which it was meant for,” he appealed.

A representative of the sports association in the area, Prince Ayo Oluwa, commended  the state government for the project, saying that the community had been expecting  the project for the past six years.

The complex consists of a football pitch, basketball court, boxing and wrestling  rings.

“To ensure all year maintenance of the complex and complementary greens, there are  boreholes and sprinklers to ensure regular water supply for irrigation purposes.  Also, the complex is fenced and well lit at night for security and safety reasons.  The fence will also prevent balls from flying onto the road and causing accidents,”  Banire stated.

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