World Record: 1,300 Students Play At Lagos U-17 Monopoly Championship

TAIWO ADELU

Cross section of secondary schools students during the record breaking City of Lagos U-17 Monopoly Championship at the Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere on Friday

Lagos with the tradition of its Excellence broke the world record of “Most People Playing Monopoly’’ at the maiden U – 17 Monopoly Championship which was held on the eve of Nigeria’s 56th Independence.

With no fewer than 1,300 students competing at a time and under one roof, the former record of 605 people set by Universal studio in Singapore on 19 March, 2016 was a child play when Lagos secondary schools students stormed
Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium  Surulere for the one day brainstorming competition organised by Bestman Games with facilitating support from the Lagos State Sports Commission and some other corporate sponsors.

At the end of the event attended by 100 schools, Elizabeth Braimoh of Topfield Schools was declared as the overall winner of the City of Lagos Monopoly Championship.  She won N600,000 worth of education grant after earning N17,614 in the tournament.

Ojo Aliu of Boys Junior Academy who earned N13,599 came second and he was given N500,000. Nwabueze Precious of Topfied College,Apapa, who earned N13,557 came third. She won for herself N300,000. Robert Stanley of Ajeromi Ifelodun Secondary School, clinched the fourth position after earning N12,232.

Special Adviser on Sports to the Governor of Lagos State Mr Deji Tinubu who is also the Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission commended the enthusiasm showed by the students to try their brains in Monopoly, adding that the students are, from their tender ages, beginning to equip themselves with what will enable them take good financial and investment decisions later in their life.

According him, the partnership between the Sports Commission and Bestman Games was borne out of the policy of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led government to develop Sports through robust relationship with private sector in a bid to make Lagos a sports destination in Nigeria and Africa.

CEO of Bestman Games, Nimi Akinkugbe, was so excited with the record breaking attendance, adding that her organisation will continue to train the Gamesmasters in other to popularise Monopoly in schools.