By Olanrewaju Akojede
Lagos – The Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) on Tuesday said that a directive from the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, was the reason for supporting the 3rd Ola-Oki Lagos Scrabble Competition.
LSSC spokesperson, Titi Oshodi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the move came after Ambode had at a town hall meeting discussed with the stakeholders in the town.
NAN reports that Ola-Oki scabble competition is a private initiative of Olabodunrin Waheed Oki, an avid scrabble player, lovers of the sport and Lagos State.
Oki is the current chairman of Lagos State office of Disability Affairs (LASODA) and the tournament is a developmental programme which commenced in 2015.
On the support by the state government to the grassroots development championships for students in both primary and secondary schools, Oshodi said it had been adopted by the government.
“The competition was adopted by the Lagos State Government in 2017 by the Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode at the Town Hall meeting.
“The meeting was held in the Badagry Division on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 as part of the government’s efforts to promote sports development and ensuring an all-inclusive governance.
“The 2017 edition of the Ola-Oki Lagos Scrabble is geared towards expansion of the scope of the competition with His Excellency’s support.
“It is aimed at decentralising the concentration of sports events in the central Lagos alone,’’ she said.
On his vision for the competition and the recent effort by the government at supporting it, the tournament’s initiator, Ola-Oki said that he was happy with its adoption by the government.
He said that his dream of organising a scrabble competition was brought to fruition by the joint efforts and synergy of Badagry Zonal Sports Officers deployed by the Lagos State Sports Commission.
“The primary objective of its birth was in the proliferation of Scrabble which will help in improving students’ word power and their intelligence quotient.
“It will also enhance and foster healthy rivalry among schools and build social interaction among the participants,’’ he said.
A total of 300 students are participating in the three-day event at the Ola-Oki Medical Centre, Ibereko, Badagry.