Proprietress commends Dare on sports as business initiative

By Olanrewaju Akojede

Proprietress, Derby Field International Schools, Ayilara, Surulere, Lagos, Mrs Oluwayemisi Ogunleye, has commended the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, for initiating sports as business National Action Plan.

Ogunleye gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during the 2nd inter-house sports competition of the school on Saturday.

NAN reports that the Minister of Sports had initiated a national action plan aimed at making sports a business entity rather than a recreational activity.

Ogunleye said the action plan should encourage more parents to allow their children to participate actively in sports without the fear of them becoming liabilities.

“This sports as business initiative National Action Plan should encourage more parents to allow their children to be actively involved in sports.

“Before, many parents were skeptical about their children getting involved in sports, especially in Nigeria.

“Now that we have sports as a business plan, more private investors will be willing to put in their money in sports with expectations of returns on investment.

“This is a win-win situation for all and for sports development in Nigeria; we expect to see exponential growth in sports in the years to come,” she said.

Ogunleye also noted that sports and education should go together, adding that both will adequately develop the child mentally.

“Learning is not limited to classroom alone; our children also need sports for their mental development and so.

“Sporting activities also develop the relationships among our children, they teach them leadership, fair play and tolerance, these are good virtues needed in the society.

“Sports also keep our children healthy and balanced mentally, the children are always esctatic whenever it’s time for sporting activities.

“We need not to prevent our children from sports in this age because sportsmen have evolved to be respectable citizens in our society today and they are also contributing meaningful to the economy,” she said.

NAN reports that the inter-house sports competition, which held at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Staff Schools sports ground had teams Blue, Yellow, Red and Green competing in various events.

The sports competed for included Match Pass, 3.25m race, Egg and Sack race, Tug of War, Bowling, 4×100 Relay race, boys and girls 100m race, among others.

Yellow house (Falade house) emerged overall winners, while Blue house (Nnaji house) came second. Red house (Nwola house) came third, while Green house (Otuaga and Ogunleye house) came fourth.

(NAN)