Olopade says Lagos venues will inspire National Intermediate Games athletes

National Sports Commission director-general Bukola Olopade expects the athletes competing at October’s inaugural National Intermediate Games in Lagos to gain extra motivation from venues based in academic institutions. The festival is designed for athletes aged 15 to 18, with all participants expected to be students.

Some events will be held at Yaba College of Technology and the University of Lagos. Olopade believes the academic surroundings will encourage the young competitors to perform at their highest level while combining their sporting and educational identities.

The games are being organised through the NSC’s Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy. The programme is intended to create a clearer development route for athletes at a key stage of their progression and to connect the strongest junior competitors with the senior level.

Olopade also identified Lagos as a suitable host because of the state’s development profile, sporting values and established links between schools and elite competition. He said Lagos had built a system capable of taking schoolchildren towards the highest levels of sport and could help address the gap between junior and senior athletes.

Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere will serve as the main arena. Competition will also take place at the nearby Lagos National Stadium, Rowe Park Sports Centre in Yaba, Agege Township Stadium, Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan and Elegbata Sports Complex.

The wider venue list includes Lagos Tennis Club in Onikan, the TBS Cricket Oval, Yaba College of Technology and the University of Lagos. Events are expected to be assigned to facilities that already have a connection with the relevant sports and the capacity to stage them.