Sports teachers targeted for Lagos rugby growth

A Get Into Rugby seminar for Lagos Island, Nigeria primary and secondary school teachers has been held with its objectives believed to have been met.

Organized by the Lagos Island Rugby Football Club and sponsored by Hon. Larinde Williams in conjunction with the Lagos State Rugby Association, it held at the Christ Church Cathedral School Hall, Broad Street, Lagos Island on Wednesday, July 10.

In attendance with the teachers who were its primary audience were rugby stakeholders that included the Chairman, Lagos State Rugby Association, Akinwunmi Akintola, and Dele Coker, team manager of the Nigeria national rugby sides.

Others included representatives of the Director-General, Lagos State Sports Commission, politicians led by APC party chieftain in Lagos Island, Chief Sobaloju, as well as Moshood Mayegun, Education Secretary, Lagos Island LGEA, Adeyemi Onanuga, Director of Sports, Education District III, and distinguished individuals from different walks of life.

Speaking with the press during the event, Akintola said his body would continue to collaborate with the organizers in order to make rugby better appreciated in the state.

On his part, Williams, founder of the newly formed Lagos Island Rugby Football Club and initiator of the event, promised that the seminar would be a continuous one and coaches would be assigned to schools to train the teachers and the kids.

"We want to follow the success template in countries like England and South Africa where the sport is introduced to the kids from the ages of 5-6. And we shall see how we can provide these schools with technical support at all times,” the former national basketball and hockey star stated.

Mayegun, on his part, promised that the Lagos Island LGEA is willing to continue its partnership with the organizers to make rugby popular and accepted at the grassroots level and in schools.

The seminar is a prelude to the major twin-event slated for next month, August: the official launch of the Lagos Island Rugby Football Club, and the Governor’s Cup to commemorate the inauguration of the new Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.