Lagos community organises boxing competition to discover talents ,engage youths

Lagos community organises boxing competition to discover talents,engage youths

Boxing

By Kazeem Akande

Lagos, Jan. 13, 2023 (NAN) The Community Development Committee (CDC) in Agbado Oke-Odo Local Government Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State on Friday organised a one-day boxing competition,aimed at discovering talents and engaging the youths of the area meaningfully.

Mr Olubowle Kasunmu, the CDC Chairman, said during the competition that the ultimate objective of the event was to take young people off the streets and discourage indulgence in social vices.

“Some years back I realised that the number of youths in the community kept increasing and we decided to engage them by way of vocations and sports.

“Mainly sports will take away 60 per cent of youths away from the labour market if the government can provide sporting facilities for our youths.

“Most of the advanced countries use sports as means of employment for the youth and a way to engage them productively,just like what we are trying to do with this contest.

“So, if we can create opportunities for our young people in sports , within the next two years ,the problem of unemployment will be substantially addressed” he said.

Kasunmu said the contest was a platform for young people to express themselves ,showcase their talents and possibly start a career in sports.

He added that the participants in the boxing competition would form the Agbado Oke-Odo LGA team and would compete with other teams in other local government areas .

“We have plan to start engaging and competing with communities on other local governments, states and even partner with clubs abroad,” he said.

In his remarks,Prince Kolawole Moses, Director of Sport Development Lagos State said that grassroots sport development was the best way to “catch them young.”

Moses said that such competitions ,as the boxing event , could produce promising and prominent boxers in the nearest future ,that would make the local government, state and the country proud.

“We urge all other local governments in the state to key into this laudable sport development initiative, to identify talents and get them out of the streets to become responsible members of the society,” he said.

Emir Adeniji, one of the boxing coaches at the event,said it was a great opportunity for young people to participate in the boxing competition.

Adeniji appealed to the organisers and the local government to sustain the sport development initiative to enable them discover more talents in the community.

Jamiu Ayodeji, a participant who emerged winner in the 44kg category,thanked the organiser for giving him and others the opportunity to showcase their talents. (NAN)

AKA/BHB

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Edited by Buhari Bolaji