Olumide Oyedeji, Ex-NBA Star Applauds Ambode For Lagos Marathon

OKAFOR MOSES CHINEDU

A special visitor came calling at the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Office, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere on Tuesday; it was the nation’s basketball legend, Olumide Oyedeji.

The former NBA star came to thank the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, for supporting road races and marathons instead of football.

The towering star was received on arrival at the Marathon Office by General Manager Marathon Yussuf Alli, Consultant to the Marathon Bukola Olopade, Head Communications and Media Olukayode Thomas, and Secretary of the Organizing Committee Olumide Bamiduro.

Oyedeji does not have anything against football but he believes the sports is getting more than enough attention from government at all levels as well as from sponsors,

“I thank Governor Ambode for choosing to support marathons instead of football. Having a marathon in Lagos is a very good development, it will raise the level of our athletes who partake in road races and marathons and bring the best out of them. I am glad and excited to be here to show support for the marathon, Lagos State and Lagos at 50 celebrations “

Oyedeji also posits that marathons and road races are now part of the criteria for assessing global destinations and the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has put Lagos on the same level with cities that have international marathons worldwide.

“I really admire Governor Ambode, he is a great sports lover who takes delight in empowering and developing the youth, he is taking Lagos to a greater height and making giant strides in all areas of human endeavour, there is nothing else you can ask for’’.

The founder and president of Olumide Oyedeji Foundation that has empowered close to 50,000 kids in about 15 years from different parts of the world urged the governor to support other sports like Volley-Ball, Basketball,Handball, “ and especially Table-Tennis, a sport which Lagos was champion of in Nigeria’’.