From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr Sunday Dare, on Thursday said decades of lack of maintenance of 110 sporting facilities across Nigeria made 85 per cent of them to go bad.
He made the disclosure at the inauguration of a mini stadium sited on a former dump site at Oke Aremo area of Oyo town, Oyo State, in honour of the former Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III. The stadium was christened: Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III Mini Stadium.
The facility was facilitated by one of the children of the late monarch, Prince Akeem Adeyemi, currently representing Oyo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Development Association, under the leadership of a retired Archbishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev’d Ayo Ladigbolu, with the assistance of the Federal Ministry of Sports.
According to Dare, “There is a national plan under the Ministry of Youth and Sports to develop grassroots sporting facilities. Apart from this mini stadium commissioned today, there are other mini stadia that have been built and commissioned across the country, especially under the seven and a half years of President Muhammadu Buhari. Today is very significant because of the passion and drive behind it; because of the late Alaafin who wanted this to happen; because of his son Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, who drove that vision and of course by me, who also, and the plans that we have.
“You can see the story of this stadium from a rubbish heap to a stadium and I think it will benefit our youths. Sixty-one per cent of those involved in sports are the youth of this country. Aside football, I am sure other sports will be played here. We hope that we will have about other four mini stadia in different parts of the country in the next seven months, completed and handed over to the communities like we have done today.
“I think there is need to have a facility manager to take care of this stadium’s maintenance because maintenance has been a challenge for us. We have over 110 facilities built by the Federal Government across the country. Based on lack of maintenance over the years and over the decades, more than 85 per cent of them have gone completely bad.
“Under President Muhammadu Buhari, we have seen the return and rehabilitation of the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja. We have seen that of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, which was abandoned for 19 years. When you go to the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, formerly Liberty Stadium, Oke Ado, Ibadan, it is almost 45 per cent coming back to the steam.
“So, maintenance is very important and I am glad that Hon. Akeem Adeyemi has already shown me the plan he has. The Metropolitan team led by Arch Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu will also work with them so that they can get facility manager. Once it is well managed, it is going to last for a long time.”
In his remarks, Archbishop Ladigbolu stated: “Ode Aremo Dump Site was our number one challenge in 2008 when the late Alaafin celebrated his 70th birthday. The stench from the debris and squalor was not only eyesores to the public, but a great nuisance to worshippers at the Oyo Central Mosque, located directly opposite the refuse dump of massive dimension and malodorous spread.”
Prince Akeem Adeyemi also noted that the inauguration was part of activities, marking the post-humous 84th birthday of his father, who joined his ancestors on April 22, 2022, after reigning for 52 years.
Major highlights of the event included a brief football match between selected soccer stars from Oyo town and Ibadan city. It features football icons, including Dimeji Lawal, Dele Ajiboye, Muyiwa Lawal, and Ademola Ikudaisi. Prince Akeem Adeyemi was the captain of the Oyo Alaafin Ambassadors.