Lagos Claims Men’s Glory at Governor’s Badminton Championship 

The 1st Lagos Governor’s South West Badminton Championship ended at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Yaba last weekend with a Lagos player taking the glory of men’s singles category of the competition.

Olofua Godwin ensured that he didn’t disappoint top officials of the Lagos State Sports Commission, which included the Special Adviser on Sports to the Governor, Mr. Deji Tinubu and the Director General of the Commission, Mr Adewunmi Ogunsanya as he ran over his tough opponent from Oyo State, Habeeb Bello 2-1 21-18, 11-21, 21-16 in the gruelling final of the tournament that featured all the states in the western region of Nigeria.

The women’s singles was won by Team Oyo’s Zainab Momoh, who beat her Team Ogun opponent, in 2-1 game (21-18, 17-21, 21-17). Both Tinubu and Ogunsanya applauded the standard of the competition and the high level of competition among the players.

“This is a developmental competition designed to know how our players are progressing. With what I saw here in the finals, I believe we are on the right track as we take the game to the next level, “Tinubu said.

The Director General remarked that Badminton in Lagos had developed drastically and with the return next year of the annual International Classics, the game would bounce back, adding that effort is being geared towards producing young players who will take over from the ageing ones.

“There will be many tournaments coming up to fish out budding players. We discovered many younger players, put them in sustainable development Program to bring the best out of them,” Ogunsanya said. 

Chairman of Lagos State Badminton Association, who also heads the association in the southwest, Mr. Francis Oribih commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for giving approval for the hosting of more than 120 players across the southwest and some national players who featured in the three days tournament. He said the standard very high, while there were revelations noticed in the competition.                   These, he said the association will build on. 

In the U-15 results, Roland Okunola from Ekiti won gold in the boys singles, while Alade Omolade from Ogun state won gold in the girls category.