LAGOS State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), on Monday handed over the torch to officially flag off the IBILE Games Festival in the State.He said the event was meant to prepare genuine and talented sports men and women who would represent the State in the 2012 National Sports Festival to be hosted by the State later this year.Governor Fashola said at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House venue of the event that the IBILE Games Festival was part of the tournaments, championships and talent-spotting programmes being organised by the State Government since the beginning of the year under the leadership of the Ministry of Youths, Sports and Social Development.Reiterating his earlier assertion that the decision of his administration to host the 2012 National Sports Festival was not necessarily to win but to return the festival to its original status as a base for the development of youth and amateur sports in Nigeria, Governor Fashola said.However, that the State intends 'to compete very fiercely and win very fairly'.'That is why from the beginning of this year you have seen various tournaments, championships, talent-spotting programmes organized by the Ministry of Sports under the leadership of the Commissioner for Sports and Social Development to begin to fish out talents, that certainly abound in our State, to give them the opportunity to prepare for the Competition', the Governor said, adding, 'This really is the story of IBILE Games'.IBILE Games, the Governor said 'is also meant as a championship to test the competition readiness of our sports men and women, boys and girls and also our coaches as we prepare to face the whole country in the 2012 edition of the National Sports Festival', adding, 'We hope to see many more talents emerging in the IBILE Games'.According to the Governor, although the road to achieving the stated objective is not easy, his administration has resolved to walk the road, adding, 'I expect that by the time we finish this year's festival, many more young and genuine talents that will lead this country in continental and global sports would have emerged'.Noting that the IBILE Games festival is meant to run without mercenary athletes but more of genuine athletes from the secondary schools and universities, Governor Fashola declared, 'I hope that it will also help us to put to bed the idea that is seen to have become prevalent about people who have become professional amateurs'.Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Development, Mr. Waheed Enitan Oshodi, said the essence of the Torch, which, according to him, will go round the Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas of the State was meant to give the various council areas as well as the Community Development Areas a sense of participation in the festival.Highlight of the event was the handing over of the torch to 18-year-old Miss Aminat Olowora by Governor Fashola who had earlier received it from the Commissioner for Sports and Social Development.Also present at the event were the Deputy Governor, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Executive Secretary, State Sports Endowment Fund, Mr. Tunde Bank-Anthony, Sports chieftains and members of the State's LOC as well as members of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria and other top government functionaries.
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