Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has vowed that the annual Obasa Games will go beyond the shores of Lagos to provide opportunities for athletes in other states to benefit and hone their skills in his commitment to youth development, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Obasa made this commitment while speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the Obasa Games 2024 at Anwar-Islam Secondary School, Agege, Lagos State, on Friday.
The festival, organised by King Sports International in honour of the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, will run from November 15 through December 14 at three centres in Orile-Agege LCDA and Agege Local Government areas of Lagos State.
Unlike its first edition, this year’s is a multi-sports event featuring football, boxing, table tennis, chess, and scrabble and is strictly for U-19 males and females within the Lagos West Senatorial District.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, an elated Obasa said he hoped to take the games beyond Lagos.
“I am very happy and highly joyful, and I want to commend the organisers, particularly the chairman of the local organising committee, Ganiyu Obasa, for putting this thing together with his team. It is encouraging and laudable, and it is a mind of passion that I have naturally for sports.
“I love football, and I love bringing in youths together for their future benefits. This is why I am so joyful about this event.
“I mentioned last time that it is going to be a state-wide thing. I will be supportive of what they are doing, and we have to bring the states together. Sport is very encouraging, and it gives the youths hope. I am just allowing them to exhibit their talents. Not giving them this platform is tantamount to denying them the privilege and opportunity, and we don’t have to wait for the government to organise things like this. Individually, we should generate ideas that will be beneficial to everybody. I have urged them to make it a state event, and hopefully next year we will be able to achieve that. This is not about Obasa being the speaker; we will continue with this even after that.”
The organisers have announced the sum of N3m cash reward for winners of the football competition, while second and third-placed teams will pocket N2m and N1m, respectively.
In the boxing and table tennis events, the winners in the male and female categories will take home N500,000 each, while the four first-runners-up will get N300,000 each and the third-place winners get N200,000 each.
Chairman of the local organising committee, Ganiyu Obasa, also confirmed that a prize gift of N1m has been set aside for both scrabble and chess participants.