By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Lagos State Sports Trust Fund has handed over the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Indoor Hall and Squash Courts Hall at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, to a designated contractor, with a six-week deadline set for the completion of the facilities.
The handover took place over the weekend, with LSSTF Chairman Wahid Oshodi highlighting the urgency of completing the Indoor Hall and Squash Courts before the end of September in preparation for the maiden National Intermediate Games, scheduled to hold in Lagos from October 1 to 15.
Oshodi said the main purpose of the event was to formally hand over the complex to the contractor, noting that although work had been progressing gradually, the pace must now quicken so the facilities are ready in a couple of months.
He described Rowe Park, which houses major sporting infrastructure including an Olympic-sized swimming pool, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, as a cornerstone of sports and recreation in Lagos, serving generations of athletes and residents.
He stressed that the Indoor Hall must be completed and the Squash Courts, untouched for over a decade, must be revived, saying many people rely on the facility and deserve cause to smile again.
Oshodi also emphasised the importance of sustainable maintenance, noting that the Lagos State Sports Commission’s facilities management department would now be supported by professional sports facility managers.
He described Rowe Park as the heartbeat of sports in Lagos and, by extension, Nigeria, recalling that generations of athletes, including legends like Hakeem Olajuwon, honed their skills at the facility.
He said that culture must continue and the facilities simply needed upgrading, pointing to the swimming pool, now Olympic-size, as an example of progress already made, and expressing gratitude to the governor and sponsors for their support.
Representing the contracting firm, Intemol Consult Limited, Niyi Lawal assured stakeholders of timely delivery, saying the company would deploy additional manpower and work extended hours to meet the deadline.
He recalled that the firm had successfully handled the swimming pool project, where an initial three-month timeline was shortened to two, and affirmed the company’s determination to work day and night, adding extra hours and personnel if necessary, to meet the current deadline.
