The Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Lekan Fatodu, has met with a mother and her young daughter following a viral video in which the woman expressed concerns over circumstances that allegedly prevented her daughter, who represents Lagos in sports, from participating in a crucial sporting engagement.
Fatodu, alongside the leadership of the Lagos State Sports Commission, met with the mother and her daughter on Wednesday to gain a full understanding of the situation and provide immediate support.
During the meeting, the mother acknowledged the Commission’s continued support for her daughter and other young athletes pursuing their sporting dreams. She, however, urged the Commission to strengthen engagement with other government institutions to ensure that administrative processes do not hinder the aspirations of young athletes, particularly girls.
Responding, Fatodu assured the family that the Commission would immediately engage the government entity involved to prevent a recurrence of the situation.
He also outlined mid- and long-term measures, including the development of a robust policy framework to address similar challenges, improved communication channels between the Commission, parents and young athletes, and stronger awareness among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the need to protect and support emerging sporting talents.
Fatodu stressed that the development of young athletes remains a key priority of the Lagos State Government.
“The dream of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is to see young talents being discovered in Lagos and nurtured to full potential. So, any action by anyone or an entity that seeks to negate that lofty ambition for youth empowerment through sports will be a massive disservice to efforts on talent development,” Fatodu said.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to creating an enabling environment where young athletes can develop their talents and pursue their sporting ambitions without unnecessary barriers.
