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| Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat presenting a souvenir to the Inspector of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF), Mr. Ralf Baumberger during a courtesy visit by the delegation of the Confederation of Africa Football inspection team, held at the Deputy Governor’s office at the Roundhouse, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. |
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, gave the assurance
while receiving on behalf of the State Governor, the Confederation of Africa
Football Inspection Team who were on a courtesy visit at the Round House,
Alausa, Ikeja.
Hamzat noted that the state has all it takes as one of the
centers in successfully hosting a great sport event like the African Cup of
Nations as “it has the people, the facilities, and the commitment of the
government,” he said.
He added that Lagos State had in the past hosted the
under-17 and under-20 World Cup football competitions, which gave her an
insight into the protocols of hosting.
Hamzat continued, “We have the template, we know what is
expected of us, then it is just for us to go and repeat it and make sure that
it is good. It is interesting that it is a joint bid”.
He therefore assured the delegation of good hospitality in
the state which will be the combination of both public and private sectors.
Speaking further, the Deputy Governor, said “the state is
aiming beyond the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, as it also plans to build the
interest of the young generations in football.
“We want to make sure that around the world when for example
there are teams, we want four to five Nigerians to be in all the team, that is
the goal.”
He added that “the state is not only renovating the Teslim
Balogun Stadium to ensure that it is elevated beyond the standard, for the
purpose of the competition in the year 2027 and beyond, it is also building new
ones in different communities within the state to accommodate and encourage
youths, both Male and female in terms of playing football and other sports.”
Stressing further, Hamzat said “We are actually doing nine
stadiums there in Agege, Ifako-Ijaye, Ikorodu, Epe, among others, the essence
for us is to also start a lot of community football for communities to play.”
He assured that before the end of the year, the Teslim
Balogun Stadium would be ready.
Speaking earlier, the leader of Nigeria’s Bid Delegation for
the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, Mallam Mainasara Illo, said the Inspection Team
was in Lagos to inspect football facilities that have been proposed by the
Nigeria Football Federation for the hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027.
Mallam Illo disclosed that six states in Nigeria and two
cities in the Republic of Benin have been proposed to host the competition,
adding that “it is hoped that the venues proposed in Nigeria will pass the
test.”
According to him, “it is totally inexcusable if Lagos State,
being Africa’s largest economy, the nation’s most populous state and a state in
which football is most passionately followed does not make it.”
Illo, therefore, urged the state government to hasten work
at the Teslim Balogun Stadium as the team has visited the stadium and observed
that construction is ongoing and other training centers that will be used for
the competition.
He also requested that the state government ensure the
provision of good hospitals, hotels for Very Important Personalities (VIPs),
and airports, among others.
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