The Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, recently transformed into a hub of athletic excellence and strategic brilliance as the 2025 Sports Fiesta concluded, highlighting the Lagos State Government’s commitment to grassroots sports and gender inclusion.
The initiative, a joint venture between the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the governor on Sports and the Office of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), was designed to bridge inequality gaps and provide a competitive stage for emerging local talents.
In a high-energy basketball final that kept spectators on the edge of their seats, Ravens Academy emerged as the 2025 champions.
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Demonstrating superior teamwork and game control from the opening whistle, they defeated First Deepwater with a decisive 33-27 victory.
The tournament also spotlighted individual excellence.
Beatrice Mark of Ravens Academy was crowned the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Her standout performance served as a powerful testament to the skill level of female athletes in the “dunking game,” inspiring other young girls in attendance.
While the basketball courts buzzed with physical intensity, the chess arena offered a different kind of competition.
The “mind game” challenged participants’ critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Patrick Floresaint and Ogunfowoke Veronica emerged as joint winners in the chess category. Both players achieved a perfect record, winning all their matches without dropping a single game.
Their victory was hailed as a result of consistent practice and the conducive environment provided by the state for budding intellectual athletes. Both winners were rewarded with cash prizes for their feats.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Damilare Orimoloye, the SSA to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sports, described the fiesta as a deliberate tool for social engineering.
“We named it Sports Fiesta as we intend to make it bigger across IBILE come 2026. This is just a direction of where we are going, and we want to continue to create that gospel of gender equality and ensure that no one is left behind,” Orimoloye stated.
The term IBILE refers to the five traditional administrative divisions of Lagos State: Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island and Epe.
Orimoloye expressed profound gratitude to Sanwo-Olu for his unwavering support of youth development and thanked the Lagos State Sports Commission and the SDGs office for their partnership.
Ariyo Idowu, Head of Outreach and Advocacy for the Lagos State SDGs, noted that the fiesta is a practical application of the agency’s mandate.
She emphasised that sports serve as a “veritable platform” for promoting teamwork, community spirit, and youth empowerment.
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With the successful pilot featuring basketball and chess, organisers have pledged to expand the roster of games for the 2026 edition.
The overarching goal remains the discovery of fresh talent and providing up-and-coming athletes with the necessary platform to sharpen their professional skills.
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