Kunle ADELABU & Seun AJAYI
Esther Affigbo, a 16 years old Senior Secondary School student of Luwasa Senior Secondary School in Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA), in Ikorodu Division, Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria, has emerged the overall best marathoner and winner of the female category of the 2018 edition of Oba Kabiru Shotobi Independence Day Mini-Marathon.
The race, which was the fourth edition in the series, attracted 270 participants from no fewer than 58 public and private secondary schools across the Ikorodu Constituency I and II.
The 7.3 kilometers race, which was initiated and sponsored by the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Sanai Oyeniran Agunbiade, was held on Saturday, 13th October, 2018.
The tournament, which is an annual event which holds every Independence Day, was postponed from its original date (October 1) due to the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections.
Esther returned a time of 33:01:72 to win this year’s race and beat her own record which she set in 2017 when she returned 39:11:37 in the process.
Also, John Peter, 17 years old student of His Touch School, Ita-Oluwo in Ikorodu North LCDA, returned the time of 35:40:34 to emerge second best overall and winner of the male category of the race.
Zainab Wahab, a student of HOMAT Comprehensive College in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, emerged 1st runner-up with the time of 37:31:82. She was the winner in the female category in 2016 and 1st runner-up in 2017.
Ogungbesan Nimota of Majidun Community Senior Secondary School recorded the time of 40:69:94 to emerge second runner-up.
In the male category, Adeniji Adewale, a student of Yewa Senior Grammar School and Oyetunde Toheeb, student of Ipakodo Senior Grammar School emerged 1st and 2nd runners-up with time of 34:19:87 and 34:36:06 respectively.
The race took off at the Ayangburen Palace as participants run through designated points such as Living Stone College, Etunrenren street, late Ayangburen residence, Water works station, Lagos road, Ikorodu roundabout, Sabo market, Kokoro Abu, Ikorodu Grammar school along Awolowo road, Ota Ona, Oriwu road, Sherrif junction, Ikorodu-Igbogbo road, and terminated at the Police Barracks Playing Ground.
The winners in both categories received N50, 000 prize money, while first and second runners-up pocketed N30, 000 and N20,000 respectively.
The overall winner of the race also received cash donations from HRM Oba Kabiru Shotobi and other guests for her breathtaking efforts.
The young athletes, who were looking sportive in their sport wears, had converged on Ayangbure palace as early as 6am and were briefly taking through aerobics exercise by one of the race officials to get them ready for the task of the day.
The race was, however, officially declared open by the paramount ruler of Ikorodu Kingdom, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi, at exactly 8:30am.
Meanwhile, Hon S.O.B Agunbiade, while speaking at the police playing ground after the race, stated that the marathon was renamed after Oba Shotobi in honour of the monarch’s support for the first edition of the race and in acknowledgement of his developmental efforts in the division.
He stated that the marathon is aimed at “discovering talents and also to help the youths utilize their God given gifts”.
The Majority Leader also added that the race is being organized to commemorate Nigeria’s Independence and domicile the celebration within Ikorodu community.
The 2018 Organizing Committee Chairman of the race, Pastor Akeem Oladimeji Bello, in his address, stated that 138 students were disqualified during the medical screening out of the 408 that were registered due to age and medical issues.
“48 Schools from Ikorodu division comprising of Public Secondary and Private Secondary Schools registered 408 athletes for the competition but only 270 participated. After the screening, some athletes were disqualified due to health challenges while others got disqualified due to the instruction of Lagos State Sports Commission that athletes should not be more than the age of seventeen.”
He stated that there was increment in the number of athletes that participated in this year’s competition.
He added that it is the intention of the organizers to see some of the athletes participating and winning laurels at the national level:
“It is our hope that the athletes from this competition progress to win laurels and medals for our nation”.
Prince Akeem Olukunga, Board Member, Lagos State Sports Commission, appealed to Oba Shotobi to help in appealing to other privileged individuals to get involve in grassroots sports development.
“I want to appeal to HRM Oba Shotobi to help us appeal to other individuals to support sports development the same way Hon. Agunbiade is doing.
“We have to bring back the lost glory of the division in sports. We used to supply the state and the national teams with athletes in swimming, table tennis and other sports but reverse is the case today”.
He enjoined school sports masters to ensure that successful athletes in the race are entered for state competition.
“There is no point emerging the best here and not competing with the best from other parts of the state. Our school sports masters should ensure that those athletes that are successful today are presented to participate at the state tournaments”, he urged.
Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi, who was present at the event appreciated Hon. Agunbiade for his undying love for sports and commitment towards the development of Ikorodu Kingdom.
While congratulating the winners, the monarch also urged other participants to consider themselves as winners and prepare to better their performances in subsequent editions of the race.
Athletes from 4th to 10th positions in both male and female categories were presented with certificate and cheque of N10, 000 with a school bag each while those in11th to 20th positions were presented with school bags and certificates.
Also,the youngest athlete of the race, Adebayo Tobi, an eleven years old boy who emerged in the 30th position, was presented with N10,000 by the sponsor in acknowledgement of his bravery despite his age.
