The Ibile Games, the Lagos State Sports Festival involving up to 162 secondary schools participating in Athletics, Basketball, Football, Boxing, Table Tennis and many other sports kicked off last Wednesday (April 30th), but it would seem that most Lagosians are not aware that the games are going on, and this has led to low attendances at most events so far. Indeed, Vanguard news reported on Sunday that Lagosians have shunned the Ibile Games, but it is more likely (as the article later hints) that most Lagosians don’t actually know that it is happening! A member of the Local Organising Committee for the Games was quoted as saying “The low turnout of spectators cannot be as a result of poor publicity. We organised street shows, billboards, banners and radio jingles to announce the Games. The spectators may have other reasons which can be mere apathy.”
Lagosians – what do you think? Why aren’t you attending the games? Is it because you hadn’t heard about them, or is it that you have no interest in attending and supporting Nigeria’s future sports stars? Tweet @MakingOfChamps and connect with us on Facebook with the hashtag #IbileGames2014 – we want to hear from you!
The Making of Champions team will be at the Ibile Games later in the week, to report on the Athletics, which is the sport with by far the most entries, with 129 schools entering (compared to 104 for Table Tennis, 53 for Basketball, and 33 for Boxing). Athletics will take place at the mainbowl of Teslim Balogun Stadium from Wednesday May 7th to Friday May 9th, with an additional day for the Athletics Finals on Saturday May 10th, during the final weekend of the Games! Come out to support Nigeria’s future CHAMPIONS!
Can Team Naija return to winning ways at the Olympics? Follow@makingofchamps on Instagram and Twitter, and like Facebook.com/makingofchamps, to be part of #LetsMakeChamps, the exciting new Social Media Campaign for MAKING OF CHAMPIONS, Nigeria’s new Olympic movement to create Champions in Track & Field!
