The Lagos State Government has said it is committed to utilising sports as a powerful instrument to foster, promote and strengthen diplomatic relationships with the international community.
Mr. Lekan Fatodu, the Director-General of the Lagos State Sport Commission made this statement at the Teslim Balogun Stadium when members of the Australian High Commission paid him a courtesy visit in his office recently.
The delegation came to deliver a message on the initiative of developing the rugby game across Lagos State Universities and Secondary Schools.
Mr Fatodu, who stated that the Commission’s mandate included steadfast commitment to supporting, promoting and developing mass participation in all sports within the State, expressed strong support for the initiative.
The government, according to him, essentially would fill the gap, where necessary, by using the instrument of government to support athletes and allow them to use their skill for positive change in society and create a favourable image for the country out there.
He said, “We know very well that sports is a powerful tool of diplomacy, citizen diplomacy and engagement between countries. We know that Rugby is one of the sports that can actually position Nigeria-the image of the country, positively in the global arena. And we should use this opportunity to support them more.
“It's also an opportunity to use sports to strengthen our diplomatic relationship with other countries; particularly, Australia and Britain knowing that these athletes, are more or less our diplomats, so we want to use the instrumentality of the State, as a government to continue to support them, to enable them, and to allow them to use their skill for positive change within the society.
“So, I have to reiterate this, that Lagos State Sports Commission is a partner in progress, and we will continue to support whenever the need arises. Sport provides an unimaginable opportunity.
“A lot of these athletes are coming from disadvantaged communities, indigent homes with no expectation of being under spotlights locally, nationally or internationally.
“But with this effort and this kind of conversation, they have a future that is even unimaginable for them, so the only way we can scale is through this collaboration. So, we are ready to work, and we are ready to rock and roll.”
Mr. Bede Thompson, Second Secretary and Head of the Australian High Commission delegation, expressed a strong willingness that the Australian government is ready to help grow the Rugby sport in Nigeria.
Australia, he said, is a global Rugby leader. The game, he added, was like a religion in Australia and the government was ready to grow the game globally. ‘So it's something that we as the Australian government are very happy to develop and support.’’
Thompson acknowledged the efforts of the Nigeria Rugby League Association (NRLA) at organising the Rugby league programme which is providing a lot of exciting opportunities to create people-to-people links with lots of Nigerian female Green Falcons in Rugby League in Australia.
He further commended the NRLA on their strong focus on the women's side of the game, as evidenced by the amazing performance of the Green Falcons at the World Series.
An initiative he said his country was trying to tap into, to support at the moment. “I would like to say as well that this is just the start of what I hope is a very fruitful partnership.’’
He promised that the Australian High Commission would commence the school programme in the State next year. Members of the Australian team have been training Nigeria referee so they can be fully accredited in international rugby league.
Thompson gave a thumbs-up for the Lagos State Commission youth development programmes that have been inspiring and invaluable to the young generation which, he said, would improve the sport and attract more dividends in future.
The Chairman of Lagos State Rugby Association, Mr. Ade Adebisi said Australia was contacted on the Rugby development project because the game happens to be one of the biggest sports in that country. The collaboration, according to him, was to help develop the game in Lagos Universities and secondary schools.
Ade Adebisi expressed profound gratitude to the Commission, particularly, for the logistics provided for the one-day pilot scheme that took place at Mobolaji Johnson stadium, Onikan, Lagos, which had about 125 secondary pupils in attendance.
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