. Thrilled over Maracana Stadium in Ajegunle
Impressed with the new-look Maracana Stadium in Ajegunle area of Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA in Lagos State, the Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh has said that the facility is a showcase and showpiece for grassroots sports development.
The Minister who toured the facility alongside the Oniru of Iru, HRH Abdulwasiu Omogbbolahan Lawal; Chairman, Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA Fatai Ayoola; Olu of Iwa and Apapa kingdom, Oba Mohammadu Oluwa; Lagos State Commissioner of Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende as well as the chairman of the Nathaniel Idowu Foundation, Chief Yemi Idowu and other dignitaries, described the edifice as a showcase of what sports should be.
“The Maracana Sports Complex for me is both a showpiece and showcase. A showpiece and showcase and this is the way our sports should go. I now understand why people kept talking about this place. It’s also quite astonishing that you can find something positive, something that you can showcase to the rest of the country located here at Ajegunle speaks quite volume.
“This shows what you can achieve by having sufficient will, commitment and passion. I have been told that this place used to be a dump site.”
So, there’s a lot about here. Not just the fact that it’s in Ajegunle but located where it used to be a dump site and you can have something like this edifice. I have seen so many kids here today. I mean this complex provides an opportunity for young kids to come to engage, be happy and to play goodwill. This is the future for our sports development policy and I thanked Yemi Idowu, I thanked the chairman of this Local Government who has been very supportive and when we talk about promoting Private Public Partnerships, this is it.
I have been told how much the Lagos State Government has provided the enabling environment to get this happen. So, when you have the government making things happen and you find willing people who have passion to develop the sport. This is what you find. This became the product of that kind of partnership and cooperation. So I’m glad that I’m here as a sports development minister who is interested in how much sporting facilities are used for the development of sports, and how it is to engage the youth to grow their talent,” the minister said.
In his remarks, HRH Abdulwasiu Omogbbolahan Lawal, who is the initiator of the idea of siting the edifice in Ajegunle, lauded the efforts of the Nathaniel Idowu Foundation for key into the idea, while also commending the minister for visiting the edifice.
For Idowu, the construction of the facility was made possible following the support and support of the host community.
“We are very grateful to have the Sports Minister here and all the dignitaries. Ajegunle is a lovely place and I’m so proud we have this facility here. I love Ajegunle and the reason we chose here is because Ajegunle has got the heartbeat and the children are here. They are ready and they have received us. The Royal father, the local government. Everyone has been part of this and that is why it had to be Ajegunle. We are on a long journey and this is the beginning. We’ve got infrastructures for football in place, there’s the hostels. Other facilities like the swimming pool, table tennis, tennis and basketball will come on board. We will have a recreation hall, a canteen, kitchen and all of these are still coming. So, the more we have such facilities inside here, the less social vices you have outside,” Idowu said.