Traditional sports, rekindled to give recreational ambiance to Lagosians,
made its debut in Lagos Island on Saturday 11, September, 2010.
Before a motley crowd at Campos Square, a socio cultural and sporting site
at the heart of Brazilian quarters in Lagos Island, the popular Ayo
Olopon, Cards and Draughts came calling as dignitaries braved the chilly
and wintry weather to watch an exciting competition, packaged by Life
Sports Limited, in conjunction with the Office of the Senior Special
Assistant to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) on Grassroots Sports
Development, under the auspices of the Lagos State Traditional Sports
Association.
Not deterred by the scanty crowd, the games went on smoothly as officials
from the Grassroots Sports Development office graced the occasion with
their presence.
In the Cards game finals, Olayiwola Akanji, from Adeniji-Adele Taxi Park,
defeated Mustapha Omotolani 2-0 and carted home the sum of N10,000.00 cash
prize, a gold medal, as his opponent, Mustapha also received a cash prize
of N7,500.00 and silver medal for his efforts. The two third-placed
winners, Yinka Olayiwola and Isah Oshodi from Epetedo Area, won N2,500.00
each and were also decorated with bronze medals.
In the Ayo Olopon, which dragged for long before a winner could emerge,
Yinka Olayiwola, eventually came tops, beating his fit-fighting foe,
Ikudaisi Mustapha, to second place on his way to garnering a gold medal
and cash prize of N10,000.00. The second place winner Mustapha went home
with a silver medal and the sum of N7,500.00, while third place winners
Adeneye Oshinfusan and Lanre Lasisi received N2,500.00 each with bronze
medals adorning their necks.
In the Draughts final, which took more time than others, the battle
between the G’s – Goriola Ishola and Gilbert Godfrey became an
energy-sapping encounter as both entertained with sublime Draughts savvy
that kept the fans on the edge of their seats for most of the time.
It was a titanic battle of brain and brawn but brain rather than brawn,
triumphed as the more methodical Goriola Ishola galloped to glory, winning
2-1 after an excruciating duel. He went home with N10,000.00 cash prize
and a gold medal, as his gutsy opponent, Gilbert received a silver medal
plus N7,500.00, leaving third place winners, Shehu Saliu and Abdul-Rasak
Tofa to contend with cash prize of N2,500.00 each and bronze medals as
other prizes.
At the end of the game, Alhaji Nurudeen Aladaba, sibling of Sports icon
“Adolf” Rasak Aladaba, a socialite in political and sports circles in
Lagos Island, was full of joy as he showered encomiums on Governor
Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) for deeming it fit to re-introduce
traditional games after many years of its sojourn in oblivion. “ I am
using this opportunity to thank our Governor for his innovative ideas in
bringing back old memories of traditional games and also to ensure more
people are attracted with this initiative of the Governor” Alhaji Aladaba
intoned.