Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Emphasizes Importance of Sports for Nation’s Growth
Dr. Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, recently highlighted the significant benefits of sports in promoting national growth and development.
In his remarks at the opening ceremony of the Obasa Games 2024, the Speaker emphasized that sports can play a crucial role in enriching the youth and boosting businesses across the country. He commended the organizers, Kings Sports International, for their efforts in promoting sports in the state.
The Speaker, who is an avid football fan himself, stressed that sports is not only a vital part of Nigerian culture but also an area that can be harnessed to combat crime and increase youth engagement in activities that drive national progress.
“Sports has become a massive business globally, and we must tap into this opportunity to create jobs and promote entrepreneurship among our youth,” Obasa said.
The Speaker added that the Lagos Assembly had amended the State’s Sports Commission Law to incorporate new areas that benefit the youth, demonstrating the state government’s commitment to developing sports in the state.
The Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Omobolaji Ogunlende, pledged the government’s support for initiatives that promote the growth of the youth and congratulated the organizers of the Obasa Games for their efforts.
Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, the chairman of Kings Sports International and organizer of the Obasa Games, said the event’s success in its first edition had inspired them to expand the scope and continue to promote sports in the state.
This year’s edition features five sports – football, boxing, table tennis, chess, and Scrabble – and brings together talented athletes and teams from across 10 Local Government Areas and 18 Local Council Development Areas within the Lagos West Senatorial District.
The Chairman of Agege Local Government Area, High Chief Ganiyu Egunjobi, expressed his council’s partnership with the organizers to be part of the Speaker’s passion for sports, recognizing its potential to promote peace and development objectives.
Egunjobi emphasized that sport is a cost-effective and flexible tool for promoting peace and development objectives, as well as an important enabler of sustainable development.
