Team Lagos Island LG Win IBILE Games 2014

Team Lagos Island Local Government are the winners of Lagos State Sports Festival tagged IBILE Games 2014 which was concluded on Saturday at the mainbowl of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Lagos Island topped the medals table of the Senior Category of the Games with a total of 366 medals: 151 gold, 108 silver and 107 bronze.

In the distant second position are Team Surulere that won 109 medals: 36 gold, 32 silver and 41 bronze.

Team Ibeju Lekki came third with 93 medals: 29 gold, 27 silver and 27 bronze.

Team Ojo came fourth with78 medals: 25 gold, 29 silver and 24 bronze.

In fifth position are Team Oriade Local Council Development Area (LCDA) that won 63 medals: 24 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze.

In the Junior Category, which featured secondary school students in the state, schools with best performance in each of the 20 sports in this category were listed out by the Technical Sub-Committee headed by Babatunde Fatayi-Williams.

Team Lagos City Senior College, Sabo, Yaba were outstanding in the boys’ category. They were the best school team in four sports Wrestling, Handball, Badminton and Squash, while in the Girls’ category, Wesley Girls junior Secondary School, Sabo, Yaba out shined others in four sports: Weightlifting, Judo, Badminton and Squash.

The football final, which was decided during the colourful final ceremony watched by Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, Sir Molade Okoya Thomas and other important dignitaries, saw Ojo and Surulere Sports City Football Club playing a 1-1 draw in the regulation only for the Ojo team to win the football gold in the penalty shootout that ended 3-1.

Director of Sports, Lagos Sports Council, Dr. Kweku Adebayo Tandoh said that the Main Organising Committee, MOC, headed by the Honourable Commissioner for Sports, Mr. Wahid Enitan Oshodi, appreciated the support received from Governor Fashola, the Ministry of Education, Corporate Nigeria, the media, the athletes, students, Principals, Games Masters, technical officers, Chairmen of all the participating local councils in the state and the spectators for the success and glamour of IBILE Games 2014.

“As we close the IBILE Games, we invite you all to the South-West States Secondary Schools Games “DAWN Games” which holds in Lagos from 16-24 May, 2014,” Tandoh said..

No fewer than 180 secondary schools in the public and private sector took part in this year’s IBILE Games with 39 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) also in attendance.

Ibile Games: Surulere’s Ezeala wins 100m female final

Winner of the Women’s 100 metres in the athletics event of the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival tagged IBILE GAMES at the main bowl of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Ezeala Nkem of Surulere Local Government, said her performance in the Games is part of her build up to the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Golden League billed for this weekend in Akure, Ondo State.

Ezeala, who dusted Oshibayo Temitope and Okonkwo Precious, breasted the tape with the time of 12.26 seconds to win the 100 Women’s race.

Oshibayo Temitope of Lagos Island Local Government came second with a time of 12. 61 seconds, while Okonkwo Precious of FIBA LCDA was third with a time of 12.62 seconds.

The winner, who is a product of Adopt-A – Talents Sports Programme of the Lagos State Government, said the athletics event in the IBILE Games would help build her confidence and encourage her to perform very well at the Golden League in Akure, adding that her priority is to surpass her previous records in the Golden League so as to stand a chance of been invited to camp for international competitions.

Ezeala, who came third in 200 metres of the Golden League in Ilorin, Kwara State with a time of 24.49 seconds and clinched the third position in the 100 metres at the Golden League in Abuja with a time of 11.61 seconds.

She commended Lagos Government for helping her to build a positive career in athletics and education. She said that her desire is to keep making the Lagos proud for investing in her future.

The athlete, who will depart Lagos for Akure on Friday, said her priority was to become world’s best athlete in her chosen career.

In the Men’s High Jump, Lagos Island West LCDA dominated the event as Ayeni Babatuntomi won the event with a height of 1.90 metres, while Bolaji Tayo came second with 1.90 metres just as Olufarati Aadebayo came third with 1.80metres Meanwhile, International School, Lagos (ISL) defeated Victoria Memorial School 19 – 15 to win gold medal of Junior Category of male event of basketball at Rowe Park, Yaba. While Birrel High School won bronze medal.

In the female, Aiyetoro Senior School beat ISL 25 – 12, while CMS Grammar School won bronze medal.

Sporting associations list gains of Ibile Games

Chairman Lagos State Taekwondo Association (LSTA), Jimmy Okunnowo, has said that the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival tagged IBILE Games will afford the state a chance to get good athletes ahead of the forthcoming EKO Taekwondo Championship in July.

According to him, the association will get at least 32 taekwondists at the end of the competition which ends on Saturday.

Okunnowo, who sees the games as a positive measure towards paving the way for the growth of grassroots sports in the state, said the list of selected athletes would comprise of taekwondo athletes who won laurels as well as those who were eliminated at the preliminary rounds, stressing that the gesture was to give equal opportunities to the athletes especially those who were technically good but were unable to win laurels.

He added that the invited taekwondo athletes would be exposed to the nitty- gritty of the game so as to be in a good frame of mind ahead of the EKO Taekwondo Championship and subsequent tournaments.

According to him, athletes from other African countries such as Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Republic of Benin will compete with Nigerian taekwondo athletes at the tourney.

In the same vein, Nigeria’s international table tennis referee, John Peter, believes participating in IBILE Games will give Lagos’ ping pongers a good opportunity to excel at the South-West Secondary school championship tagged DAWN Games 2014 which holds from May 16 to 24 in Lagos.

Peter, who is the referee of the table tennis event at the IBILE Games said that he was convinced that the state’s table tennis players would live up expectations at the DAWN Games because the Lagos State Government has made available necessary logistics to boost the players’ morale to win laurels.

He noted that the positive approach of the Lagos State Government towards the growth of grassroots sports would encourage the table tennis players to surpass the records set at the 18th National Sports Festival tagged EKO 2012 Games.

He said the Junior Category of IBILE Games is a good preparatory ground for the players to represent the state at the DAWN Games, and the country at the African Youth Games as well as the Olympic Youth Games.

Ibile Games: ‘Volleyball stars will form core of Team Lagos for DAWN Games’

Lagos State Volleyball Association (LSVA) has assured that majority of secondary schools players featuring at the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival tagged Ibile Games 2014 will be invited to camp ahead of the forthcoming DAWN Games scheduled to begin on May 16.

Technical Director, Suraj Olajide Olatuga told reporters on Monday that it has been a long time he has seen young volleyball players displaying tactical volleyball skills to the admiration of the association’s technical team, adding that the performance of the players have shown that volleyball has improved following the players’ second liner attack and floating service which are the most effective services in the sport.

Olatuga noted that the initiative behind the Lagos State Adopt- A-Talent Sport Programme has yielded positive result in the building of future Volleyball players for Lagos.

According to him, Lagos will be a team to beat in the volleyball event at the DAWN Games, a competition for Secondary schools in the Southwest of the country.

“We are having a total of 18 secondary schools of eleven boys schools and seven girls schools competing in the Volleyball event of Ibile Games.

In some of the games played on Monday at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, International School Lagos (ISL) defeated New Era Girls’ High School, 2- 0, while Rockford Secondary School defeated Command Day Secondary School, Ikeja, 2- 0 in the girls’ category.

United Christian Secondary School defeated Habibat Mogaji Secondary School, 2- 0 in the boys’ event.

The game is played on round robin format as the participating schools were paired in two groups of five teams in the boys’ event, while their girls counterparts were drawn in two groups of four teams.

The best two teams will qualify for the semi final holding on Tuesday, while finals are fixed for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, former Lagos State number one female table tennis player, Fatimo Bello, has expressed her happiness that she was able to use ongoing Ibile Games to prove that she is still a force to reckon with in the game.

Bello who was sanctioned by Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) was recently left off the hook from the ban placed on her since 2012.

Bello a left-hand player, who represented Itire Ikate LCDA, won the women’s singles after she defeated Alimot Ayinla of Lagos Mainland Local Government by four straight set of 11-8, 11-6, 12-10, 11-3, in the final decided at the knock-up hall of the National stadium, Surulere.

To reach the final, Bello, who was part of the Lagos State table tennis team that went on a training tour of Asia, prior to the 18th National Sports Festival, tagged EKO 2012 Games, beat, Sidi Yaya of Lagos Island West LCDA in the semi final clash.

“Many were thinking that because ofthe ban placed on me, I won’t be on top of my game at the Ibile games, but I’m glad that my critics have been proved wrong with the gold medal Ive won. I’m so happy and I thank God,” she said.

DAWN Games will foster unity among youths in South West, says Ibirogba

DAWN Games will foster unity among youths in South West, says Ibirogba • Ogun shapes up for tourney

Chairman of Media and Publicity Subcommittee of the DAWN Games, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, has said that the tournament would help foster good relationship among the youth of the south-west states of the country

The maiden edition of the DAWN Games, a competition among secondary schools in Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States, will be held in Lagos from May 16 to 24, 2014.

The chairman of the Media Subcommittee, who is also the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State said the competition would bring youth in the region together to compete in a healthy environment, adding that the DAWN Games is symbolic because the south-west states want to show the rest of the country the cordial relationship that exists within the people and governments of the region and the need to use youth and sports to preach unity among the people.

Meanwhile, as the kick off date of the Games draws nearer, Team Ogun say they can’t wait for the school sports championship to start.

Director of Sports, Ogun State Sports Council, Mr. Adesola Faleti, said the state’s athletes are ready and are in good sporting form to excel at the competition.

“The athletes have been training for a couple of months. We are going to participate in 12 sports events and in Ogun State, we specialise in more than 33 sports, thus taking 12 out of 33 won’t be a problem for us,” said Faleti during the inspection of facilities and venues for the championship which took place recently in Lagos.

Faleti noted that the Games would enable Ogun State Sports Council to assess its grassroots developmental programmes which has been well supported by Governor Ibikunle Amosun, and more importantly it would assist the sports council the opportunity to replace
its ageing athletes.

”Since inception of Governor Amosun’s administration, we had been mandated to develop sports at the grassroots. I think the DAWN Games will definitely assist us to discover budding talent to replace the older athletes,” he said.

The former national pugilist said the state’s effective grassroots sports programme had earned Ogun a positive result as the National Sports Commission, NSC, invited over 22 athletes from the state to the national team, while six junior football players were also invited to the camp of the national U-13 team.

“DAWN Games can bring positive and better future for the nation as athletes we will discover in the regional championship can be selected for the country’s future international outings.

“I believe the DAWN Games is another opportunity to explain the commitment of the southwest state governments towards building Nigerian future stars who would take over from the ageing national athletes.

The DAWN Games is the needed grassroots developmental programme which we can use to aid the growth of sports and the wellbeing of our athletes,” he said.

He concluded that Ogun State Sports Council is working with the support of the Ministry of Education to place athletes that will excel in the DAWN Games on scholarship for them to continue their education.

The DAWN Games will feature 12 sports, which are athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, football, gymnastics, scrabble, swimming, table tennis, tennis, taekwondo and volleyball with over 2000 athletes and officials expected to participate.

The events will take place at Rowe Park Sports Complex, Yaba, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere and Agege Stadium. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Camp in Iyana-Ipaja will serve as the Games Village.

Ibile Games: Lagos Island dominates Ayo, as festival enters day three

Lagos Island West and East Local Government Councils ensured that they won the two gold medals at stake in both the male and female categories of Ayo in the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival tagged Ibile Games 2014.

In the finals played at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Ibe Patricia of Lagos Island East beat Atinuke Mohammed of Itire Ikate LCDA to win the gold medal in the female event, while the duo of Omidiji Bosede of Lagos Island West and Kemi Aiyegbusi of Osodi Isolo won bronze medals.

In the male category, Akanbi Rasheed of Lagos Island West won gold medal, Seun Aiyedun of Iru Victoria Island LCDA settled for silver, while the pair of Idowu Ademola of Itire Ikate LCDA and Kehinde Amaechi of Osodi Isolo won bronze medals.

In some of the results of basketball event decided Thursday, in the Senior Category, Lagos Mainland beat Yaba LCDA 24-22 points in the group match of the boys’ category, while Yaba in their second game defeated Odi-Olowo 27-23 points. Ikoyi Obalende lost to Ojokoro 34-32 points, while Bariga beat Ikorodu North 41-08 points.

In the female junior basketball event competed for by schools, Foucus College beat Victoria College 2-1, Shomolu Secondary School lost to Aiyetoro Grammar School 0-25, while Wesley College defeated Ilupeju Grammar School, 11-2. In the boys’ event, Muslim Grammar School lost to Victoria College 20-29, while Ifesowapo High School beat Eletu Odibo Senior High School 8-6.

Day three of Ibile Games (Friday) will see finals of some events such as Weighlifting and Gymnastics taking place at the Rowe Park, Yaba Meanwhile, Number one seed in the Secondary School category of the Squash event of Ibile Games has commended the Lagos State Government for organising a grassroots based competition that will pave way for young Squash players to exhibit their skills.

Adegoke, 16, who is in Senior Secondary School, 3, of Lagos City College, Yaba, said the Ibile Games was an avenue for the state junior Squash players to acquire skills and also develop their interest in the game, stressing that the tourney has brought healthy rivalry among Squash players featuring in the Games.

According to him, the Games has put Lagos State in a vantage position to record outstanding performance in any organised youth Games in the country, adding that the competition has shown that the State has a pool of talented young squash players
“There is no doubt Lagos State will be able to use Ibile Games to prepare its athletes for the forthcoming DAWN which will hold from 16-24. Apart from Squash, we’ll be able to present a formidable team for the southwest Games,” said Adegoke

Ibile Games begins in Lagos

Lagos State Sports Festival tagged IBILE Games 2014 got underway today with activities already lighting up various centres across the state.

At least seven sports, Ayo, Basketball, Darts, Table Tennis, Para Table Tennis, Deaf Table Tennis and Squash were the events which heralded Day One of the competition at Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba and the Knock Up Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, while other centres will witness action in sports such as Swimming, Taekwondo, Gymnastics, Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Tennis on Thursday.

The tournament, which will end on 10 May, is involving no fewer than 162 secondary schools (public, private, missionary, military and para military) which are competing in the Junior Category, while the Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas are taking part in the Senior/Open Category.

One of the athletes expected to headline the tournament, Oyinlomo Quadri, said that she is looking forward to winning gold medal in Tennis for Maryanne Private School, Lagos Island. She said: “I have been training seriously with the aim of re-enacting the feat I recorded at the last National School Sports Festival in Ilorin, Kwara State where I won gold medal for Lagos State. I trained hard to give my all in order to get a slot in Team Lagos for the DAWN Games,” she said.

To Ogunsanwo Emmanuel, who will feature in the Badminton event for Lagos City Senior High School, “expectation from my school is for me to win a gold medal in this event and I’m ready not to fall short of this.” Akintola Otega, a gymnast for the same school noted performing very well at the IBILE Games will afford the opportunity of featuring at the DAWN Games, adding that she is in high spirit to compete for her school at the tournament.

Facilities inspection, technical committee meeting for DAWN Games hold

The Joint Technical Meeting (JTM) and inspection of facilities for the DAWN Games (South West Secondary Schools Games) holding in Lagos, comes up this week from Thursday April 23 to 25, 2014.

The DAWN Games, involving all the southwest states of Nigeria – Ekiti, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun and Ondo, starts May 16 to 24, this year in Lagos.

According to the Local Organising Committee (LOC), the Director of Sports/ General Manager, Sports Council and the Director in charge of sports in the Ministry of Education will represent each state at the JTM and inspection.

Others expected are representatives from DAWN Commission, National Sports Commission (NSC) South West Zonal Coordinator and LOC members.

The inspection begins on Thursday April 24 and the team is expected to inspect the venues like Rowe Park Sports Complex, Yaba; Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere; and Agege Stadium.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Camp in Iyana-Ipaja, which will serve as the Games Village will also be inspected.

The Joint Technical Meeting follows the inspection on Friday April 25.

The games will feature 12 sports, which are athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, football, gymnastics, scrabble, swimming, table tennis, tennis, taekwondo and volleyball with over 2000 athletes and officials expected to participate.

MOC gets set for 2014 Ibile Games

The Main Organising Committee (MOC) is putting finishing touches to its preparation for the Lagos State Sports Festival tagged 2014 Ibile Games scheduled to hold between April 30 and May 10, this year.

The MOC chaired by the Lagos State Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Development, Wahid Oshodi has subcommittee like technical, Protocol and Ceremonial, Venue and Facilities, Media and Publicity, Medical, Marketing and Sponsorship, Security as well as Torch Tour.

The multi-sports fiesta will have teams from schools and Local Governments and Development Areas (open) competing for honours.
In a statement issued by the Media and Publicity Subcommittee of the games, the MOC has been working tirelessly to stage befitting games of international standard.

Events to be competed for include; squash, tennis, ayo, kokowa, basketball, weightlifting, powerlifting, gymnastics, darts, handball, wrestling, badminton, athletics, taekwondo, boxing, chess, volleyball, scrabble, swimming, karate and judo. Others are cricket, kung-fu, football and table tennis.

Venues that will the events are Rowe Park Sports Complex, Yaba, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Jubril Martins Memorial Grammar School, Iponri, Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, Cricket Oval, Race Course, Onikan, University of Lagos Sports Complex, Yaba, Agege Stadium and Knock-up Hall of National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.