Kunle Adelabu
A former Special Adviser on Education to the Governor of Lagos State, Otunba (Dr.) Fatai Olajide Olukoga, and Prince Akeem Bolade Olukunga, an Executive Member, West Africa Physical & Health Education, Recreational, Sports and Dance and former Board Member, Lagos State Sports Commission, have commended the late sports administrator and grassroots sports developer, Alhaji Kolawole Saheed Akinsanya, for his efforts on the development of sports at the grassroots level.
Otunba Olukoga, who was also a Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports, Lagos State, and Prince Olukunga, a sports administrator of several years, acknowledged the role and efforts of late Akinsanya in the redevelopment of the Ikorodu Division Police Headquarters playing ground in Ikorodu.
Although, his efforts and others did not materialise, but they are acknowledged among the bold moves towards enhancing sports in Ikorodu and Lagos State.
Speaking with THE IMPACT at the special prayer in honour of late Akinsanya in Ikorodu on Friday, both eminent individuals described the late sports administrator as sincere, good and humane being while alive, and would be missed.
Otunba Olukoga, speaking with our reporter on Akinsanya’s character and his efforts on the redevelopment of the police playing ground, said:
“Alhaji Akinsanya Saheed Kolawole was somebody that was very truthful. He was a man that ensured honesty in whatever he does. I was shocked when I heard about his death, but you know what they use to say that, good people usually leave faster. Whatever it is, he has gone to rest and God has been favourable to him on earth.
“He was a resilient and committed man and did all he can for humanity. While I was in the state government as a permanent secretary in the Sports Ministry, that was when we worked together to redevelop the community sports, especially football. That was when I also started sponsoring annual football tournaments.
“It was during that time that we gave approval for the redevelopment of Igbogbo police barracks ground into a mini–stadium which he and others developed.
“Unfortunately, the DPO then and some people were against it, and it had to be taken to the Igbogbo stadium and that is why the stadium is being developed since then. It could have been the police barracks playing ground”, the former Special Adviser said.
Olukoga charged the state government on the need to still take another look at redeveloping the police ground to further develop sports at the grassroots.
“I will still advise that government should not ignore that place even if it can’t be a mini – stadium, they can make it a sports centre. That ground has hosted several major tournaments and produced great athletes, footballers and sportsmen.
“We have a lot of important people that were and still into sports that started from that ground who are now in America and other parts of the world. One of such people is Lookman Akinsanya, son of late Alhaji Akinsanya, who played against my team in Maryland”, Otunba Olukoga emphasized.
The Permanent Secretary also recalled his encountered with Barr. Lookman Akinsanya, in America, who also happened to be one of the products of the Ikorodu police barracks playing ground.
“I was impressed the day I saw him and I asked him to play for me and he told me that I cannot pay his money, but I asked his team to play with my team and they defeated us 2 – 0. After the match, l told him that I would tell his father when I get back to Nigeria, that his son refused to play for his dad’s team and led other team to defeat us (laughter).
“And the day I saw his father (late Alhaji Akinsanya), I told him that his son did not play for me in Maryland, US, and led his team to defeat my team. My team wasn’t strong then, but we are now in the premier league. This is how myself and others are catching them young “, he recalled.
He described the death of Alhaji Akinsanya whom he said he spoke with after his brief illness and thereafter, as untimely and shocking.
“Akinsanya’s death is very shocking, because I spoke with him about two weeks ago and he said, “Egbon, I am not feeling alright”. I told him that he would be fine and the other time, I called him again, and he told me that he was fine.
“It was very sad when I received the news of his death. May his soul rest in perfect peace and for those of us that are still here, may God continue to be with us”, he said.
Prince Akeem Bolade Olukunga, also tracing his encounter with late Alhaji Akinsanya back to about four decades, described him as a gentleman and disciplined police officer.
He said that they both drew the redevelopment plan for the Ikorodu barracks playing into a mini–stadium.
“He was a complete gentleman, even though, he was a police man. We first met in 1983 when I was the stadium manager of Agege Stadium. The Pepsi wanted to use the place at that time, so he and the Pepsi guy came around to secure the place. I later came back to Ikorodu, as the zonal sports officer between 1983-1988.
“We were close friends and we worked together. We drew the proposal for the redevelopment of the police barracks playing ground together. Unfortunately, that didn’t materialize. He was a great man who contributed immensely to the development of sports at the grassroots”, Prince Olukunga said.
While speaking on the impact of the death of late Akinsanya, Prince Olukunga charged the government and appointees of sports sector, to always engage old and capable hands within the circle.
He added that late Akinsanya’s experience and expertise were not effectively utilized.
“The problem with sports is that we don’t appreciate good and experienced old hands, because if we do, we will not be in this problem that our sports is experiencing. That is the cause of what happened at the Olympics.
“We need to start consulting the old good hands and tap from their experiences. Alhaji Akinsanya has gone with his ideas and experience, and whatever information that he had has gone with him. He was a repository that our youths and administrators ought to have gone to to get a lot from. If they failed to do so while he was alive, then they have definitely missed it.
“Sports administrators, most of whom are not sportsmen, must always go back to the sports family, especially those that have been there, to get them to rally round them. Their usual practice is that they bring their own people when they are coming and we continue circling instead of progressing. A state that has been maintaining first and second positions at the sports festivals, is now lagging behind.
“We will really missed Alhaji Akinsanya, because he was a very good, vocal and committed person. We will miss him”, he said.
