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Tag: Samson Siasia

  • Siasia, Mikel enough

    Siasia, Mikel enough

    When the country’s Olympic Games Football  Dream Team coach, Samson Siasia, was accused of leading the squad members on a trip not approved by those who ought to have planned the squad’s trajectory to the Olympics’ soccer event, one knew that the tales of the unexpected would haunt us in the years ahead of us. A proper investigation of the accusations ought to have been carried out in 2016, with one objective – fish out those who were complicit in the show of shame as it was when it happened in the United States of America in 2016.

    The shameful conduct was swept under the carpet because the team won Nigeria’s only medal – a bronze medal, making the Dream Team to earn the honour of winning all three medals in the event. Gold in Atlanta 1996, silver in Beijing 2008 and bronze in 2016.

    The sports minister at that time visited the team in Atlanta where he was reported to have frowned at the coach, Samson Siasia’s resort to the media to complain about the difficulties the team was facing.

    According to Vanguard’s report: ”Apart from warning that Siasia’s action would be looked into and appropriate sanctions meted out to him if necessary”, the minister was said to have not only instructed the team’s captain, John Mikel Obi to take control of the team but equally asked him to restore sanity to the team, which he alleged was plagued with indiscipline.”

    The battle line between Mikel and Siasia had tacitly been drawn.  Wahala no dey finish for Nigeria. What a country.

    Was it right for the minister to have chastised the coach by belittling him, especially as Siasia is one of the icons of the game here having played for the country’s teams? Did Siasia tell a lie that the team was cash strapped? No. Who should Siasia have complained to if not pressmen who saw the players’ and coaches’ poor living conditions in America, in spite of the fact that they were our sports ambassadors to the 2016 Olympic Games? What a pity.

    This isn’t the first time Mikel would drop what now looks like falsehood on this matter. In fact, the then sports minister, Solomon Dalung, in the aftermath of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games said: “To the best of my knowledge as the Minister at the time, no player — Mikel Obi or otherwise, was authorised to arrange transport for Team Nigeria to Rio,”  in an interview with AIT.

    The operative words from Dalung are, ”neither Mikel nor anyone else was authorised to arrange transport for Team Nigeria to Rio”. The imminent question to ask Dalung was, who was authorised to arrange transport for the team? Again why didn’t the person do it? Or was it that the trip to America was unauthorised, dear Dalung?

    “I used my own money to help fund the Nigerian Super Eagles’ trip to the 2016 Rio Olympics, and till this day, the federation has not given me anything back,” Mikel recently said. “Honestly, I regret doing that.”

    But Dalung, who oversaw Nigeria’s sports ministry during the Games, dismissed the claim, stating emphatically that no player, including Mikel Obi, paid for any flight.

    “I want to apologise for all the circumstances that led to your late arrival here. I apologise because I am the head and as such I must take responsibility for anything that happens under my watch,” Dalung said after they beat Sweden, with a game to spare to qualify for the quarter-finals.

    One would have thought that the contending issues in the team would have been settled, especially with the celebrations in the camp and the minister’s apology.

    The pertinent question to ask is if Mikel is using this allegation to get traction to his podcast or stating the truth of the matter. I shudder to use Siasia’s statement suggesting that perhaps, things are rough for the former Chelsea star defensive midfielder. Not possible, my dear coach.

    It was Siasia’s call to explain what transpired since he was the coach of the team, which he did. But Siasia ought to have avoided the petty talk of poverty, since it was out of place in the discussion. Siasia exhibited grave immaturity. How, the so called players union ought to call both men to sheath their swords for the good of the game. This idea of washing our dirty linens in public is unnecessary, since those who should have dealt with matter in 2016 failed to do so. Now that events have overtaken the incidents, the wise thing that Mikel can do is thrash out the issue with the new Nigeria Sports Commission (NSC) boss, if indeed Mikel’s claims have been substantiated with documents from the Delta Airline’s management on request.

    Otherwise, it won’t cost the NSC anything to do a letter to Delta Airlines seeking to know what transpired, if there are doubts by all those in the past who debunked Mikel’s statement, including a former sports minister. Can all of them be lying and Mikel speaking the truth? Yes, we need to know which of the two parties to believe.

    Read Also: NFF endorses Sam Okwaraji’s Championship

    Whilst the matter is being investigated discreetly, it is important to remind Siasia and Mikel that as icons of the game in Nigeria and all over the world, they need know that the image and integrity of the country shouldn’t be tarnished on the altar of seeking a refund of $250,000 or otherwise? If Mikel feels he is speaking the truth, he can head for the EFCC or ICPC to do their jobs on the matter and keep quiet until the truth is told by the courts.

    However, one only hopes that the two bodies responsible for preparing the country’s contingents to the Olympic Games are noting this disturbing noise from our soccer icons, which rests squarely on a failure of leadership at the NSC and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), I dare say.

    There must be a workable synergy between the NSC and the NOC going forward to avert these kinds of show of shame among our contingents to international sporting competitions such as the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, the World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, Africa Games, WAFU etc. Perhaps, this is the time to find out the details of the arrangement which dragged our sports ambassadors on a clueless trip to America?

    The NSC and indeed the NOC should ensure that all preparatory trips for our sportsmen and women outside the country for future competitions must be interrogated such that the ones which aren’t discerning should be dropped immediately. Of course, nobody is talking about the NFF’s involvement in the trip to America. Yet, it is the federation’s prerogative to provide answers to questions arising from the Mikel cum Siasia imbroglio. The team’s bronze medal celebrations ensured that the matter was swept under the carpet with everyone describing it as a ”golden” bronze. Indeed.

    Please Siasia and Mikel, you are sports treasures who should be celebrated always. We have heard enough of this mess. Case closed!

  • Nigeria vs. South Africa: Siasia urges Flying Eagles to  go all out against Amajita

    Nigeria vs. South Africa: Siasia urges Flying Eagles to  go all out against Amajita

    Salutes team’s  World Cup Qualification

    By Kareem Yusuf

    Former Flying Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has urged  Nigeria’s U-20 national team to be  focused on today’s  semi-final clash against the Amajita of South Africa  and not  to be complacent following their qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

    Siasia who nearly  won the FIFA U-20 World  with  the Flying Eagles in 2009,  commended the current  team’s achievement, noting the significance of securing a place at the global tournament.

     “They have done very well in qualifying for the World Cup, which is very important,” the former Super Eagles’ striker told Brila Fm. “This  has  been a  good exposure for the young players, just like we saw with Victor Osimhen, who made the most of his opportunity and is now excelling.”

    The former national team coach, stressed the importance of maintaining discipline and building on their success when they face  South Africa today.

     “They shouldn’t relax now. Every match going forward is crucial one mistake, and you’re out,” Siasia warned. “You can’t get to this stage(semi-final)  and not aim for the final. That wouldn’t make sense.”

    He further advised the players to adhere strictly to their coaches’ instructions and make better use of the scoring chances they create.

     “The key is to prepare better, play smarter, and listen to your coaches. They must correct their mistakes and stay sharp. That’s how they’ll go far,” he added.

    Read Also: NFF threatens match manipulators with lengthy ban

    In a related development,  the list  of the 24 teams to compete  at the 24th  FIFA U-20 World Cup to be staged in Chile between   September 27th and  October 19th  is now completed  with  African quartet.

    Two-time World Cup  runners-up and one-time bronze-medallists , Nigeria  will lead the African challenge that also includes Egypt, Morocco and South Africa.

    Ghana, the only African country to have won the championship (when Egypt hosted in 1999), failed to reach this year’s global finals after penalty shoot-out defeat by hosts Egypt in the quarter-finals of the ongoing African finals.

    Nigeria lost to Portugal in the final of the 1989 championship in Saudi Arabia, and to Argentina in Holland in 2005. After losing their semi-final tie to Brazil in 1985, the Flying Eagles defeated host nation USSR after penalty shoot-out to pick up the bronze medals.

    ALL THE FINALISTS FOR CHILE 2025

    Chile (hosts) , Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Korea Republic, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Ukraine, USA, Mexico, Panama, Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, New Zealand & New Caledonia.

  • Appeal: Siasia gets Oct 10 deadline to pay N36m

    FORMER Super Eagles chief coach Samson Siasia has till October 10 to pay N36million ($100,000) before the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland can entertain his appeal against the Federation of International Football (FIFA) over allegation of match-fixing.

    The 52-year-old will began the process of clearing his name at CAS on October 28 against a life ban imposed on him by the football governing body.

    However, the former coach has been told by the panel that the case would be struck out if he fails to pay the said amount before the October 10 deadline.

    Read Also: Siasia’s mother’s 59 days in captivity

    A source told NationSport that the coach is now in dilemma on how to raise the cash.

    “This is somebody who managed to raise an additional N1.7m to release his mother who was kidnapped over 10 weeks ago. Now he is looking for N36m. Who will come to his rescue,” the source added.

    FIFA on August 16 through the adjudicatory chamber of their independent Ethics Committee found Siasia “guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics.”

     

  • BREAKING: Kidnappers free Siasia’s mother, others

    The 80-year-old Ogere, mother of former Super Eagle skipper and coach, Samson Siasia, has been released by her abductors

     

    Details Shortly ………….

    .

  • Siasia’s mother’s 59 days in captivity

    The whereabouts of Beauty Ogere, the mother of a former  Super Eagles Coach  Samson Siasia, remain a mystery. Security agencies, especially the police headed by Commissioner Uche Anozia, seem helpless over the abduction of the 80-year-old, writes MIKE ODIEGWU

     

    NOTHING has been heard from the police since July 15 when Beauty Ogere, the mother of a former skipper and Coach of the Super Eagles, Samson Siasia,  was violently taken away from their family bungalow at Odoni community in Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    It has been traumatising for the family of Siasia. For over 50 days, their aged mother is nowhere to be found. They are not aware of her condition and the kind of treatment she is receiving from her captors. They wonder whether the hoodlums are able to buy her drugs because she was said to be sick when she was taken away.

    The family members and sympathisers are also worried about how the woman is coping with the inclement weather characterised by constant rains and cold. Could she still survive the abduction? They queried.

    In fact, people are not happy that members of the public seem to have forgotten the octogenarian Ogere. No comments from activists and commentators even on social media. Nobody is championing the freedom of the aged Ogere. Have they suddenly forgotten that she is the mother of the famous Siasia, a footballer and coach that brought glory and laurels to the country?

    Samson Siasia played 51 international matches for Nigeria. He scored 13 goals and was part of the team that participated in the 1994 FIFA World Cup and won the 1994 African Nations Cup.

    He was also a member of the Nigerian team that won bronze at 1992 African Nations Cup in Senegal. He participated in the National Team over a period of 11 years and was recognized in Nigeria as the third-leading scorer for the National Team. Among all his coaching careers, he managed the Super Eagles from 2010 to October 2011. He was reappointed in 2016.

    But Siasia’s mother has been in kidnappers’ den for over 50 days. This is not the first time Ogere is suffering in the hands of kidnappers. In November 2015, she was abducted. She was later released 12 days following payment of about N.6million to the kidnappers.

    But this time there seems to be no hope for the aged woman. People are not, however, happy at the way the police have so far handled the matter. The commissioner of police beyond the usual refrain of investigating the matter has not been able to present any concrete evidence of the investigation. No arrest has been made and no clue yet as to the whereabouts of Ogere.

    Mr. Dennis Siasia, the younger brother to  Samson Siasia had while confirming he abduction of her mother said the abductors whisked her away without her high blood pressure drugs.

    Two days after the incident, the kidnappers established contacts with Siasia’s family and demanded N70m to set the victims free.

    Siasia, however, begged the kidnappers to set his aged mother free unconditionally saying he was out of job and had no such money to pay them.

    But a family member said the kidnappers brought down the ransom from N70m to N50m without consideration to the health of the woman.

    But the hoodlums have been allowed by the police to operate with impunity. Recently, the abductors of Beauty Ogere released one of their victims, Florence Donana.

    The 66-year-old Donana was abducted the same day Siasia’s mother was kidnapped. Donana was abducted alongside her 17-year-old granddaughter by the hoodlums, who first broke into the family house of Siaisia to seize Ogere at 2 am.

    Following prolonged negotiations between the families of the victims and the hoodlums, the kidnappers only released Donana, whose family paid some ransom.

    A source from the community, who spoke in confidence, said the Donana family negotiated the undisclosed amount of ransom with the kidnappers and sent someone to deliver the money to them. He said the kidnappers collected the money, held the ransom payer captive and released only the aged Mrs. Donana.

    “The 17-year-old granddaughter was not released. The mother of Siasia was also not released because the family had yet to agree on ransom. They are still holding three persons captive”.

    The source, however, lampooned the police leadership headed by the Commissioner of Police, Uche Anozia, for not living up to its duty on the matter.

    He said the kidnap case had exposed the current state police leadership as clueless and wondered why the octogenarian mother of Siasia could spend 50 days in kidnappers’ then without the police bursting the crime.

    “It seems the commissioner of police has forgotten this case. The kidnappers are having fun, tormenting the families of their victims and acting with ease and impunity yet the police have said nothing on this case.

    “They have no clues and nobody has been arrested. It seems nothing happened in Bayelsa. It is really bad. Maybe the Inspector-General Police should intervene by sending a special force to crack this crime”, he said.

    Residents and the Bayelsa State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) raised concerns on the whereabouts of Ogere.

    Residents said it was a sign of incompetence on the part of the police and other security agencies to allow the 80-year-old woman to be in kidnappers’ den for over 25 days.

    They lamented that the silence of the police and other security agencies was disturbing and asked the security commanders in the state to either free the woman or resign their positions.

    Some of the residents derided the security architecture in the state for their lacklustre and alleged unserious attitude on the case of Siasia’s mother.

    Bayelsa SWAN said it was disturbing that several weeks after her abduction, Ogere Siasia is still being held hostage by suspected kidnappers.

    The Chairman of SWAN, Alambo Datonye said: “Since the woman’s kidnap on July 15 at her country home at Odoni in Sagbama Local Government Area of the State, the old woman is still languishing in the hands of her abductors.

    “This should not happen to anyone talkless of an aged mother of Coach Siasia who brought joy to millions of Nigerians and Bayelsans as a player and a tactician donning the national colours, bringing glory to the country.

    “We, therefore, call on the kidnappers to release Madam Ogere Siasia unconditionally and reunite her with her loved ones.

    “We also urge security agencies and government to act swiftly and efficiently to ensure the release of the woman and others that are being held against her will.

    “No sane society develops with individuals held against their will, with the perpetrators of this unconscionable act getting away scot-free. The pain and trauma of the Siasia family are going through is better imagined than experienced.

    “As concerned members of the society, SWAN in Bayelsa call on the relevant agencies to be alive to their responsibilities of safeguarding the lives of every citizen and bring to a halt criminal activities such as kidnapping which is antithetical to the very essence of our collective humanity.”

  • Siasia denies wrongdoing, vows to fight FIFA ban

    Former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia has expressed shock over his ban by FIFA and accused the world soccer ruling body of dishing out punishment without contacting him.

    The former U-23 coach, in a swift reaction on social media following news of his ban, vowed to fight to clear his name.

    He wondered how a person can be charged and found guilty of an allegation without being heard from.

    He also dismissed claims by FIFA that a letter to that effect has been dispatched to him while re-echoing that he has not done anything wrong.

    “I am shocked with FIFA ban, I was never questioned by FIFA.

    “I don’t know anything about this. I did nothing wrong and I have not received any letter from FIFA,” he said.

    Will samson siasia be heading to CAS over his FIFA ban?

    Siasia, who led Nigeria’s Olympic team to Silver Medal finish in 2016, insisted he was hearing about the allegation and the said decision for the first time.

    There are strong indications that the former Super Eagles star who scored 16 goals in 51 appearances for the national team will appeal the decision.

    Some say the 52 -year- old former Lokeren of Belgium striker may drag FIFA to Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

    The court has recently been inundated by cases involving fIFA and other stakeholders including Presidents of Football federations.

     

     

     

     

  • FIFA bans Samson Siasia, fines ex-Eagles Coach N18.5million

     

    World football ruling body FIFA has banned former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia for life after the ethics committee found him guilty of bribery allegation.

    A release Friday by FIFA confirmed that the former international has also been  asked to pay a fine of CHF 50,000 ($51,000) about N18.5million.

    The former U-23 coach is said to have accepted bribe in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

    The hammer is coming in the midst of emotional torture which the former Nantes striker is undergoing following the kidnap of his mother Madam Ogere Siasia.

    Siasia’s 93 year old Father only recently raised alarm to security authorities even as he made passionate appeal to the kidnappers to release his wife who has been in their custody close to a month now.

    Samson Siasia heading for the bench after dishing out instructions

    The latest development means that Siasia who turned 52 on Wednesday will not only worry about the travails of his mother in the hands of kidnappers but also about the way forward for his football/coaching career.

    The FIFA release Friday read thus;

    “The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has found   Mr Samson Siasia, a former official of the Nigeria Football Federation, guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

    The formal ethics proceedings against Mr Siasia were initiated on 11 February 2019 and stem from an extensive

    investigation into matches that Mr Wilson Raj Perumal attempted to manipulate for betting purposes. This large-scale investigation was conducted by FIFA via its competent departments and in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and authorities.

    In its decision, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Siasia had breached        art. 11 (Bribery) of the 2009 edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics and banned him for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level. In addition, a fine in the amount of CHF 50,000 has been imposed on Mr Siasia.  The decision was notified to Mr Siasia today, the date on which the ban comes into force”

  • Anger in Bayelsa over whereabouts of abducted Siasia’s mother

    Residents and the Bayelsa State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) have raised concerns on the whereabouts of Beauty Ogere, the abducted mother of a former Coach and skipper of the Super Eagles, Samson Siasia.

    Residents said it was a sign of incompetence on the part of the police and other security agencies to allow the 80-year-old woman to be in kidnappers’ den for over 25 days.

    They lamented that the silence of the police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies was disturbing and asked the security commanders in the state to either free the woman or resign their positions.

    Some of the residents derided the security architecture in the state for their lacklustre and alleged unserious attitude on the case of Siasia’s mother.

    The whereabouts of the woman and those of kidmapped 66-year-old Florence Donana and her 17-year-old granddaughter,  remained unknown.

    The victims were whisked away from their Odoni community, Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, on July 15 at about 2am.

    Two days after the incident, the kidnappers established contacts with Siasia’s  family and demanded N70m to set the victims free.

    Siasia, however, begged the kidnappers to set his aged mother free unconditionally saying he was out of job and had no such money to pay them.

    But a family member said the kidnappers brought down the ransom from N70m to N50m without consideration to the health of the woman.

    Read Also: Whereabouts of Siasia’s mother still unknown 

    The Bayelsa State Chapter of SWA said it was disturbing that several weeks after her abduction, Ogere Siasia is still being held hostage by suspected kidnappers.

    The Chairman of SWAN, Alambo Datonye said: “Nearly a month since the woman’s kidnap on July 15 at her country home at Odoni in Sagbama Local Government Area of the State, the old woman is still languishing in the hands of her abductors.

    “This should not happen to anyone talkless of an aged mother of Coach Siasia who brought joy to millions of Nigerians and Bayelsans as a player and a tactician donning the national colors, bringing glory to the country.

    “We therefore call on the kidnappers to release Madam Ogere Siasia unconditionally and reunite her with her loved ones.

    “We also urge security agencies and government to act swiftly and efficiently to ensure the release of the woman and others that are being held against her will.

    “No sane society develops with individuals held against their will, with the perpetrators of this unconscionable act getting away scot free.The pain and trauma the Siasia family is going through is better imagined than experienced.

    “As concerned members of the society, SWAN in Bayelsa call on the relevant agencies to be alive to their responsibilities of safeguarding the lives of every citizen and bring to a halt criminal activities such as kidnapping which is antithetical to the very essence of our collective humanity”.

     

     

  • AFCON 2019: No need to mount pressure on Mikel- Siasia

     

    As Super Eagles technical bench and fans alike worry about the way forward for club less national team Captain John Obi Mikel, former coach of the team Samson Siasia has declared that what the former Chelsea midfielder needs now is support and not pressure.

    Mikel who recently parted ways with Chinese super league side Tiajin Teda Siasia noted is currently more concerned about taking a decision on his next move and should be allowed to do so.

    “Everybody knows that Mikel is a patriotic and devoted captain of the Super Eagles. To the best of my knowledge, he will never shirk his responsibility as Eagles captain. He will not also abscond from the team without cogent reasons,” Siasia explained to Nigeria’s Adante Sports.

    “One thing we should also know is that Mikel has not played for a while now, and he is trying to move to another club. I believe he wants to secure his job situation before he will worry about the Super Eagles,” he added

    Mikel who has reportedly turned down interests from lower division clubs just like compatriot Odion Ighalo declared lower division clubs a no go area, is not keen to leave China with fillers that other Chinese super league sides are weighing options of signing him.

    Mikel’s commitment to the national team is not in doubt and many say he proved it during the World cup in Russia when he buried emotions to play 90 minutes against Argentina despite receiving news four hours earlier about the kidnap of his father Pa Michael in Nigeria. He was later rescued by men of the Nigerian Police after close to seven days in captivity.

    Eagles who have already picked a ticket for the 2019 Nations cup in Egypt will round up the qualifiers with and inconsequential tie against Seychelles in March.

     

  • Lagos targets 150, 000 participants for 2019 Marathon

    No fewer than 150,000 athletes both locally and internationally are expected to participate in the 4th edition of Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode said on Monday.

    Addressing a press conference at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja to officially announce commencement of preparations for the marathon which is billed to hold on February 2, 2019, Governor Ambode said the target of the State Government, was to use the forthcoming edition to take the tournament from the bronze label of International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) to silver, in partnership with the sponsors.

    According to him, “The whole idea is to turn the competition from bronze to silver level. In the last three editions, we had between 100,000 and 120,000 participants. This time around, we want to make sure that come February 2019, we would have not less than 150,000 participants.

    “The reason why we want to take it to that level is to create a new record and create a new platform to allow the 2019 edition to herald what is going to happen in the next six years. We believe strongly that in another six years when we are marking the 10th anniversary, we should actually become a top class marathon, and that is our vision for this competition.  

    “We believe that it is achievable. This is not necessarily about me; it is not even about the sponsors but about making Lagos to be on that top brand across the world and that is how cities are elevated to become global brand,” Governor Ambode said.

    He said arrangement had equally been firmed up to encourage more local participation, as well as more physically-challenged athletes, a development he said necessitated the increase in prize monies for the two categories. 

    “We think obviously that we should pay more attention to our physically-challenged athletes this time around and also to embrace more of local participation. This time around, we would push more money to the local races and we would push more money to also our physically-challenged athletes to encourage more people to come in, while the main prize remain the same,” he said.

    Speaking further at the media briefing which was attended by Nigeria’s sports icons including Mary Onyali, Samson Siasia, Waheed Akanni, Seye Ogunlewe, among others, the Governor said the idea of the marathon was part of his administration’s initiatives to use sports, entertainment and hospitality to grow the economy and positively engage the bourgeoning youth population in the State.

    “Looking at some of Nigeria’s sport legends here, it just summarizes everything that we have tried to do in the last three and half years. The idea is that it is possible to create a new set of jobs and services using sports, using hospitality, using entertainment to create a new level of creativity and innovation and then drive the Nigerian economy into different direction that creates positive energy, and when you come to this kind of gathering and you are able to now see the private sector, sports people, it means that there is still hope in this country,” Governor Ambode said.

    Besides, the Governor commended all the sponsors, media and all those who have contributed to the success of the marathon in the last three years, saying the development was a dream come true.  

    Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr. Kweku Tandor said the Lagos City Marathon, was the third of its kind after Brighton and Bournemouth Marathon in the United Kindgom to earn the prestigious IAAF Bronze Label only after its second edition, which held on February 10, 2018.

    He said the Governor had already given approval for the setting up of a Lagos Marathon Village at the Teslim Balogun Stadium that would not only sustain the culture of the marathon but also serve as a rallying point in the quest by the present administration to stage mini-marathons in the five divisions of the State.

    “It is going to serve as the headquarters for marathon races in Lagos. What we have in mind is to have sectoral marathons, Lagos Women Run is coming up next month, we have SWAN Marathon coming up in December and we also envisage that we are going to be having Epe Marathon, Ikorodu Marathon and so on.

    “So we need a coordinating office under the direction of the Lagos State Sports Commission and that is the vision that led to the construction of that facility within Teslim Balogun to serve as the Lagos Marathon Village. Construction work will commence anytime from now,” Tandoh said.

    He said the Governor had also approved the constitution of a Marathon Council that would be responsible for the supervision of the 2019 Marathon and going forward.

    On his part, Managing Director of Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe said the commitment of the State Government under the leadership of Governor Ambode has ensured that the Lagos Marathon had become an annual event on the international athletics map.

    He assured that Access Bank, the major sponsors of the Lagos Marathon would continue to give its full support to the event, adding that the 2019 edition will take the event a notch higher so as to receive an IAAF Silver Label for the marathon.

    In his brief remarks, President of the Athletics federation of Nigeria (AFN), Engr. Ibrahim Gusau commended Governor Ambode for setting the pace for others to follow for others to follow in sports development, saying that the 2018 edition of the Lagos Marathon was highly rated amongst top competitions on the international calendar.