• Ogun adopts Tobi Amusan
Sports and Youth Development Minister, Sunday Dare, has disclosed that the National Stadium, Lagos will be ready for use in August, after 19 years of abandonment.
The minister, who disclosed this yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, in Abeokuta, said the stadium was rehabilitated through the adopt-a-stadium initiative by his ministry.
He explained that the stadium, which was built in 1973, became bad for sports almost 20 years ago due to neglect and total abandonment by successive administrations in the country.
The minister, however, said his ministry’s initiative of partnering with private individuals through the adopt-a-facility programme is responsible for the rehabilitation of the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Abuja and the National Stadium, Lagos.
The minister, therefore, called on Governor Abiodun to key into the adopt-an-athlete initiative of his ministry, to nurture, develop and encourage Nigerian athletes wherever they are in the world.
He urged the governor to adopt an indigene of the state, Tobi Amusan, a 24-year-old 110 metres hurdles athlete, adding that the Ijebu Ode-born but Texas, U.S.-based athlete is one of Nigeria’s medal hopeful.
Responding, Abiodun, who said youth empowerment and job creation was one of the five cardinal pillars of his administration, disclosed that the ICT TechHub was deliberately conceptualised to convert youths of the state from ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’ to more profitable ICT ventures.
While commending the minister for his ministry’s initiative on rehabilitation of the country’s stadia, and nurturing sports talents, the governor announced the immediate adoption of Tobi Amusan.
He also urged the minister to help Ogun identify its sports talents, expressing his administration’s readiness to help them nurture their skills in order to make them world champions.