Funmi Ogundare
The principal of the Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Ms Tofunmi Akamo, has called on parents not to discourage their children from taking to sports as careers.
She described sports as a lucrative and quick-rewarding enterprise that youths could embrace to make a difference in their lives.
Akamo, who said this recently at the college’s 45th inter-house sports competition in Lagos, described sports as enhancing social interaction among students from different social backgrounds.
“The competition was introduced in unity schools by the Federal Ministry of Education as part of efforts to foster healthy minds in healthy bodies. It provides opportunities for relaxation, entertainment and recreation for our pupils,” she said.
At the competition, Oduduwa House emerged in the first position, beating six other houses in the school and clinching 15 gold, eight silver and nine bronze medals to lift the diadem.
Nnamdi Azikiwe House got 11 gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals to place second, while Moremi House won seven gold, 10 silver and seven bronze medals to come third.
Similarly, Macaulay House clinched five gold, nine silver and 10 bronze medals to come fourth position, while Danfodio House got four gold, five silver and six bronze medals to come fifth.
El-Kanemi House won four gold, three silver and three bronze to place sixth, while Jaja House won no gold but got two silver and three bronze medals to come last in the competition.
In the junior girls’ 100 metres competition, Miss Onyinye Mbagwu, representing Macaulay House, came first in 13.88 seconds; Precious Okeke, also from Macaulay House, came second in 14.08 seconds.
Amarachi Nwadinma of Moremi House came third in 14.57 seconds, while Chizaram Njoku of El-kanmi House finished fourth in 15.10 seconds.
In the senior girls’ category, Gift Ogochukwu of Moremi House out-smarted others to clinch first position in 12.80 seconds, Olayemi Akanbi of Macaulay House came second in 12.81 seconds, while Alimat Ligali of Oduduwa House was third in 12.98 seconds.
Chikaima Nwanyanwu from Macaulay House came fourth in 13.01 seconds, with Christabel Okeoma from Nnamdi Azikiwe House finishing fifth in 13.06 seconds.
In the junior boys’ event, Kehinde Bello from El-Kanemi House came first in 13.07 seconds, while Daniel Mmakwe of Nnamdi Azikiwe House placed second in a time of 13.07 seconds.
Yau Shuaibu from Macaulay House came third in 13.56 seconds; Victor Obilor of Moremi House was fourth in 13.75, while Anthony Okeke from Jaja House finished fifth in 14.12 seconds.
Some of the participants expressed their desire to excel in sports in future. Gift Ogochukwu, 13, a first-prize winner in the senior girls’ event, stated that she started preparing for the competition the same week the school opened for the second term.
She expressed optimism about representing the country at the Olympics, saying that it was her dream and that she wanted to be known in the world like Blessing Okagbare.
Kehinde Bello, who elicited spectators’ admiration with his zig-zag running style, said he planned to improve his skills.
At the end of the competition, medals, certificates and trophies were given to winners who performed credibly in the inter-house sports, which featured different events.
