Prince Akeem Olukunga is a member of the Lagos State Sports Commission. He spoke with THE IMPACT Newspaper’s crew led by Kunle ADELABU, the Publisher/Reporter-in-Chief, at the 4th edition of the Oba Kabiru Shotobi Independence Day Mini-Marathon. He represented the Director-General of the Sports Commission at the event.
IMPACT – Can we please meet you sir?
Prince Olukunga – I am Prince Akeem Olukunga.
IMPACT: We are witnessing the 4th edition of the Oba Shotobi Independence day marathon. What is your observation so far?
Prince Olukunga: First of all, we have to thank the sponsor because for somebody to sponsor this kind of event for 4 years consecutively without co-sponsor, we have to thank him. As far as the organization is concerned, it is a superb one. I think people should learn from him because apart from the fact that he is giving back to the community whatever he has gotten from politics, the first aspect which is the primary thing is to provide opportunity like this where young athletes can be detected and I thank him for that. I believe the successful athletes here today will get recognition at the state level.
IMPACT: In terms of recognition sir, one of the banes of the Nigerian sports is the inability to groom talents from the grassroots, what is the sports commission doing in making sure that the talents on displayed here today are well groomed for the future?
Prince Olukunga: When you have talent, you have to showcase them. You cannot have talent and keep them at home. They have to get competition at the state level. That is where they can get recognition and exposure. In athletics for instance, if you say you have 20 minutes for a competition and you don’t go ahead to compete with other champions, that means you are not ready for stardom. You have to compete at the state, national and international levels.
IMPACT: Let’s talk generally about sports in Lagos state, what are the plans of Lagos State Sport Commission?
Prince Olukunga: The present administration really wants sports to develop at the grassroots that is why we are now having under16 competitions because we discovered that people from 17 and 18 are always fixed machineries. Anybody under the age of 16 must be in school, so the school is responsible for whatever happens. With this arrangement, I don’t think people can really cheat because you have to be in school and the principal and games master of that school are liable if we discover that any of the students cheated. So, any school that is found wanting, the principal and the games master will be questioned, so with that arrangement, the issue of machineries has been reduced drastically.
