A former Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Dotun Adefope-Okojie (rtd), has called for more private sector participation in sports.
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She spoke at the Major-General Henry Adefope Inter-School Athletics Competition for junior secondary students organised by the Henry and Dorothy Adefope Foundation for Sports and Youth Development (HEDA).
The event, held at Oregun Junior High School in Ikeja, featured 10 participating public schools and was aimed at reviving athletics among young students while creating sustainable structures to identify and nurture talent.
The foundation, led by Justice Adefope-Okojie, daughter of the late sports administrator and IOC member Maj. Gen. Henry Adefope, said the competition is the first step in a long-term commitment to grassroots sports in public schools.
Speaking at the opening, Justice Adefope-Okojie emphasised the urgent need for private-sector involvement in youth sports.
She said: “Sports should be in the hands of private organisations who should be encouraged to take it on.”
She criticised the current model, which relies heavily on government-led, one-off initiatives, often plagued by inconsistent funding and limited follow-up.
“The idea is to establish a permanent sporting structure. There should be continuity, not scrambling for sponsorship only when competitions come up. Many students don’t realise sports can be a real career path. We want to change that,” she said.
The Lagos State Director of School Sports, Dr. Oluyomi Oluwasanmi, expressed strong support for HEDA’s mission and reiterated the need for collaboration between government and private stakeholders.
“Government cannot do it alone. Sports, like health and education, compete for limited resources. That is why we are calling on organisations like HEDA to help us build these children from the ground up,” she said.
She also stressed the importance of combining education and sports, warning that athletes need fallback skills after retirement.
“An educated athlete is not just skilled on the field but also prepared for life after competition,” she noted.
At the end of a competitive day featuring 100m and 200m sprints, and relays, Omole Junior High School emerged as overall winners. Oregun Junior High School came second, while Opebi Junior High School secured third place.
Other participating schools included Ikeja Junior High School, Oke-Ira Junior Grammar School, Community Junior High School, Army Children’s Junior School, and Agidingbi Junior Grammar School.
Athletes showed promising performances, with several talent scouts in attendance praising the level of competition.
The Adefope Foundation was incorporated in 2011 in honour of Maj. Gen. Adefope, a former Federal Commissioner for Youth and Sports, and one of Nigeria’s most respected international sports diplomats.
The foundation aims to promote youth development through sports, especially among students in public and private schools.
“Daddy was a man of integrity who believed in service. This foundation is our way of continuing his work, not for personal gain, but to give back to a country he served,” Justice Adefope-Okojie said.
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