The Lagos State House of Assembly has concluded plans to include all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state to discover more talents in the 2023 edition of the Speaker’s Game.
The Chairman, House Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development, Mr Moshood Oshun, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.
NAN recalls  that the Speaker’s Cup, an annual sporting event put together by legislative workers of the Lagos assembly to commemorate the birthday of the speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, kicked off on  Oct. 24 and ended Nov. 11.
The games  for the week long programme included: Football, Volleyball, Table Tennis, Basketball, Tug ‘O’ War, Ludo, Ayo Olopon and Draft.
Oshun (APC-Lagos Mainland II) said the competition would ensure that Lagos remained Nigeria’s hub for sports and the youths were constantly engaged in a way to enable them exhibit their God given talents in sports.
The lawmaker noted that the 2022 edition was a huge success in the sense that the previous year only involved the football competition, which was between staffers and members of the house.
“We started the competition in 2021 for the speaker’s 49th birthday and it was a success but we promised him we will do it again this year, albeit on a bigger level.
“Hence, that was why we organsied the 2022 edition, so we can make it bigger, get more talents   involved and because we know sports is a unifying factor for people from all walks of life.
“The 2022 edition is a huge success and I am very proud of what we have been able to put together. I am very proud of the participants too, because spectators and sports enthusiasts came to enjoy themselves.
“So really, it has been wonderful but 2023  edition, all the MDAs in the state will be involved where more talents will be discovered from the competition,” he said.
Oshun said the winner of the football game went home with 200,000 and other prizes, adding that there were prizes for every competition, for the first and second place.
The lawmaker said the 2023 edition would be more fun,  adding that more games would be added.
He noted that the competition was basically sponsored by lawmakers while the committee only received little assistance from the assembly.
The lawmaker said the competition was not too much to celebrate someone who  led the house that was now above the common standards of excellence. (NAN)