By Dorcas Francis Koji
The Lagos State Sports Commission has intervened after a young squash player, Mariam Oshodi, reportedly missed a tournament because her mother’s shop, where her sporting equipment was kept, was locked by officials of Surulere Local Government.
The intervention followed a viral video in which Mariam’s mother, Kafayat Oshodi, expressed frustration over the circumstances that prevented her daughter from participating in a regional squash tournament.
Mariam, who represents Lagos State in the Under-15 category, was reportedly unable to retrieve her squash racket after officials allegedly locked the shop.
According to her mother, the local government officials often cite environmental concerns when closing the shop, despite the family’s efforts to maintain a clean environment around the premises.
In the viral TikTok video, Kafayat alleged that while she was away from Lagos, her daughter took medals she had won from previous competitions to the local government office in an attempt to demonstrate the importance of the racket to her sporting career.
She claimed, however, that the officials still refused to grant the young athlete access to the shop, ultimately preventing her from attending the tournament.
Following the development, Lagos State Sports Commission Director-General, Lekan Fatodu, met with Mariam and her mother on Wednesday to hear their account of the incident and discuss ways of supporting the young athlete.
During the meeting, Kafayat acknowledged the support the Sports Commission had consistently provided to her daughter and other young athletes across Lagos.
She, however, appealed for stronger coordination between the commission and other government institutions to ensure that administrative actions do not unintentionally hinder the development of young athletes, particularly girls.
Responding to the concerns, Fatodu assured the family that the commission would immediately engage the government institution involved to ensure that a similar situation does not happen again.
He also disclosed plans for both immediate and long-term measures, including the activation of a stronger policy framework to prevent circumstances that could disrupt athletes’ participation in competitions.
The measures will also include improved communication channels between the Sports Commission, parents and young athletes, as well as greater awareness among ministries, departments and agencies about the need to protect and support emerging sporting talents.
Fatodu stressed that the development of young athletes remains a major priority of the Lagos State Government.
“The dream of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is to see young talents being discovered in Lagos and nurtured to full potential. So, any action by anyone or an entity that seeks to negate that lofty ambition for youth empowerment through sports will be a massive disservice to efforts on talent development,” he said.
The commission’s intervention is expected to reinforce efforts to ensure that promising young athletes in Lagos are not denied opportunities to compete because of administrative challenges beyond their control.
For Mariam, the incident has also highlighted the importance of stronger cooperation between sporting authorities and other government institutions in protecting the aspirations of athletes at the grassroots level.
Leave a comment