Lagos Marks 2nd International Day Of Sports In Grand Style

Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Sports Commission in conjunction with the Sports Global Ambassador has concluded a three day event to celebrate this year’s edition of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.

The event started at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere with students from 14 Junior and Senior Secondary Schools (both Private and Public) across the Six Education District in the State participating in a thought-provoking sports debate.

The IDSDP comes up globally on April 6th. The Year 2023 theme is “Lagos United in Sports” which was marked with a debate from both public and private schools titled ‘Sport as a Tool for Equality to achieve the System with the Government Goals’.

Day 2 featured Athletics competition held at Caleb British International School, Abijo Lekki, Lagos. Oreyo Junior and Senior Secondary Schools, Ijaiye Junior and Senior Secondary Schools, United Junior and Senior Secondary Schools, Pinefield Schools, Lekki , Whitesand Schools , Lekki, and Corona Schools ,Agbara participated in the event.

In the Senior category, Ijaiye Housing Estate Grammar School beat other competitors by grabbing 7 gold medals, 1 silver and 1 bronze, while Atlantic Hall School came second with 1 gold,1 silver and 3 bronze medals and Unity High School was placed third on the medals table with 1 gold and 1 silver.

In the Junior category, Ijaiye Housing Grammar School also stole the day with 3 gold medals and 1 silver. In the second position Whitesand School, Lekki,clinched 1 gold and 1 silver; and Atlantic Hall School recorded 1 gold,2 silver and 1 bronze medal.

Speaking at the event, Executive Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission, Sola Aiyepeku said the idea of this year’s theme is to stimulate the youth to get more involved in Sports because of the benefits that comes from it and to integrate both Public and Private Schools.

He emphasized the core benefits of sports as leadership training, discover and harness potentials and assist those that want to use it as a career. ‘Sports has it own benefits in discipline, learning team work, timeliness and develop cognitive and phycomotive skills’.

Executive Trustee of Ambassador lnitiative for Youth Development and Conflict Resolution, Ndidi Edeoghon in her remarks said this year’s theme has brought togetherness students frim different schools to discuss a United environment to bring tolerance, conflict resolution and raising a standard for collaboration.

The IDSDP was a day designed to showcase the impact of sports in social changes, bridging the gap of inequality, gender sensitivity, promoting healthy environment and the immense contributions to the livelihood.

The event further accentuated the collaborative effort between Public and Private Schools in the State while consolidating on the cooperation among Lagos State Sports Commission, Ministry of Education, 6 Education Districts and Sports Providing Entity.