Kunle Adelabu
-Fun await families, children
After a three year break, the 12th edition of the Oldies Appreciation Games and Family Funfair, is set to take the centre stage with more innovations and activities to make it a memorable event for participants and attendees.
The one – day event, which is slated for the United African Methodist Church Primary School (Eleja), along the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (former Agbele Road), Igbogbo, will kick – off at 10am till evening on Saturday, April 29, 2019.
Organisers, at the Press Conference held at Ojay Bar, Igbogbo, to held the event, said that aside featuring the traditional event – football, this year’s edition will feature many other events including Exhibition Match, Children Fun park, Oldies Football Match, Indoor Games, Medical Outreach, Family Funfair and Entertainments.
According to the organisers, attendees will have the opportunity to engage various indoor games such as: Ayo Olopon, Draught, Monopoly, Chess, Ludo, Table Tennis, Snooker, Scrabble Card Game and Monopoly, while Bouncing Castle, Swimming Pool, Slide, Face Painting, Raffle Draw and many other fun engagements will be available for the children.
There will also be Medical Outreach for attendees in the areas of Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Tests, while there will also be free drugs and medical consultations.
Prince Ademola Ogunleye, Chairman, Planning Committee for the Oldies Appreciation Games and Family Funfair Games, speaking on the annual event, said that it was an initiative created for people to take time out to relax with families, friends and associates, and also build a true communal spirit.
“This event has taken a break for about three years, and it is a thing of joy that we are bringing it back. We are not just bringing it back, we are bringing it back with a bang to achieve the larger purpose”, he said.
“We started about a decade and half years ago, and basically, it is meant to be a timeout. We live in an environment where most of us wake up at 4am in the morning to go to work and for our businesses, and return late in the night only to wake up around the same time the next day and head out again which happens round the year.
“This affected our relationship with families, and that was why we initiated the games and also create just a day to bring families and everybody together to relive past memories and enjoy. The event is also aimed at freeing ourselves from worries and what has been occupying our lives throughout the year.
“That is the basic purpose of the programme. Leisure and recreation is not something that is common in this part of the world, and that is why we are creating an avenue for people to relax. It is an opportunity for people to get away from their daily busy schedule”, Ogunlewe emphasized.
The planning committee chairman also said that the event will also provide attendees the platform to network.
‘’The platform is also for us as professionals, businessmen, sports administrators, entrepreneurs and what have you, to network, integrate and promote ourselves individually and as a group and as a community’’, he said.
‘’It is also to help us realise the importance of family, not only our immediate families alone, but the community as one unit. As a community, we need to build ourselves. The society needs us’’.
Ogunlewe, who is a member of the Lagos State Scrabble and Monopoly Association, said that the press conference was also an opportunity to look into things that are vital to the development of the community, adding that this year’s event will also be used to ask questions.
He said that the Lagos State Sports Commission and the Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Area, have been carried along and that the two will be playing major roles in the event.
“We are in talk with them. They have our proposals and have given their commitments. We are expecting their full participation. The Special Guest of Honour for the event is the Director – General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Toyin Gafaar. That shows that we have an understanding with him.
“Also, the officials of the Lagos State Scrabble and Monopoly, Chess and Traditional Sports among others, will be on ground on the day.
“We have equally submitted our proposal to the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, and we are expecting the council’s full participation as well. The council Chairman is the chief host of the event and by that, the council is more or less the owner of the event”, he said.
The Director of Media and Publicity for the event, Mr Tolu Faniyi, assured participants and attendees of maximum relaxation with various events that will be made available, while also ensuring children of fun galore.
He emphasized that children are included in this year’s edition to create a getaway atmosphere for families and bonding amongst members of the community.
Gbenga Odunniyi, former President, igbogbo youth Coalition (IYC) and the representative of the Comfort Hedge team, appreciated the organisers of the event for bringing in other games.
“I want to thank the organisers of this event for bringing in other games because it had been only football before now. It now encompasses other games because some of us are not well grounded in running the pitch, but with this expansion, we can switch comfortably to other areas of interest”.
He assured the audience and the generality of Igbogbo residents that his team, the Comfort Hedge, will be her opponent …, in the novelty match slated for the day.
Chairman, Comfort Hedge project, Mr Ahmed Ogunbanjo who said that his brand is participating for the first time, said that it is a privilege to identify with the innovation which he described as a way of developing the grassroots.
He promised that the next editions will be bigger with his brand giving maximum support.
The representative of the Olubee Travels, which consists of veteran players, in his own reaction, said that his team will soar past the younger teams that will be challenging them.
Mr Yinka Adelaja, who also represented Olubee team, charged residents of Igbogbo, business owners and privileged individuals to support the initiative and ensure that it turns into a big brand.
He thanked the organisers for sustaining the tradition and providing a platform for relaxation for families.
Coordinators for each of the sections of the event gave updates on the level of preparations and assured participants and attendees of a memorable and fun – filled outing at the event.
Also at the press conference were: Mr Ephraim Bababo, a former Stationery Stores player who represented Alhaji Ganiu Olubodun, Chairman, Olubee Travels, one of the Oldies Appreciation Game and Family Funfair, Mr Shakiru Orefuwa, a chieftain of All Stars, Igbogbo, Pastor Okuchukwu and Mr Jelili Ogunmuyiwa (FIFA), Training and Development Officer of the Lagos State Football Referees Association (LSFRA) among others.
