The Lagos State Government says it is committed to ensuring the completion of ongoing renovation works at the Teslim Balogun and Agege Stadiums as well as other mini sports facilities in the state, The PUNCH reports.
The Lagos State Government in 2022 commenced the renovation of the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Agege Stadium, as well as other facilities in Ikorodu, Ifako-Ijaiye and Gbagada, but none of the facilities is yet to be reopened for use as pressure of multiple usage keeps mounting on the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan.
Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, however, gave the assurance that the facilities would soon be available for use, while stressing the interest of the government in the resurgence of athletics at the press conference to mark the debut of the MTN Champs Continental Relays in Lagos.
“Mr Governor is actually very deliberate in ensuring that there is total transformation in all sports. Within the next few months, our athletes will be running at our Teslim Balogun Stadium. There is serious renovation starting from the eight-lane track,” Fatodu said.
“For Agege Stadium, the same contractor that is handling the Teslim Balogun Stadium is the one handling Agege as well so we will see that within the next few months.”
He also added that the state is now breeding future Olympians at the recently reopened Olympic-size swimming pool at Rowe Park.
Fatodu also added that eight more mini-stadiums are currently under construction with three of them nearing completion.
“I want to assure you that Lagos State will experience a spectacle of sports infrastructure development because Mr Governor has approved the development of eight mini-stadiums across the state, and about three of them are near completion: Ifako Ijaiye, Igbogbo and Araromi.”
Opened in 2007, the 24,000 capacity Teslim Balogun Stadium was one of the venues that hosted the 2009 U-17 FIFA World Cup. The stadium also hosted five matches during the tournament, including a semi-final game, which Nigeria won 3-1 over Spain.
It had been primed as a potential home for the men’s national football team, the Super Eagles but the team haven’t returned there since their 3-0 victory over Lesotho in March 2021.
The 4,000 capacity Agege Stadium was also the home of Nigerian league football for the defunct MFM FC, but the facility has been closed for rehabilitation for about four years.
