Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has inaugurated the Board of the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund (LSSTF), charging the new leadership to bridge the funding gap between government resources and the private sector to revitalise sports across the state’s five divisions.
During the ceremony held yesterday in Lagos House, Marina, the governor emphasised that the primary mandate of the board is to leverage their professional networks and expertise to build a sustainable, “robust institution” for sports that serves both current and future generations.
Sanwo-Olu urged the members to prioritise the development of school sports and grassroots initiatives.
He noted that while the state government has initiated several sporting facilities, the board’s intervention is crucial for their completion and maintenance.
“There are a whole lot of people and organisations that would want to support, but they don’t want to come straight to the government,” the governor stated.
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“This is a quasi-body that can reach out to the private sector and also draw on the experience of the government.”
The newly inaugurated board is led by Enitan Oshodi, a former Commissioner for Sports and the current President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
He is supported by Olaposi Agunbiade, who serves as the Executive Secretary/CEO.The diverse board includes representatives from various sectors and government commissions.
Key Members are Olabode Agoro, Lekan Fatodu, Jubril Gawat, and Kikelomo Bolarinwa.
The Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission and the Chairman of the Chairmen of LGs/LCDAs are also included to ensure synergy between state and local government levels.
In his response, Chairman Enitan Oshodi highlighted that while the Lagos State Sports Commission is performing well, government funding alone cannot sustain a megacity of over 20 million people.
He pointed to the United States model as an inspiration for private-sector-led sports growth.
“Our main target really is the support from the private sector,” Oshodi explained.
“We know the private sector and what they want us to do… we can make a big success very quickly in the short term, but the great plan is a long-term plan for the development of sports in Lagos.”
