AmuwoGames 2019, a mini sports festival for residents of Amuwo Odofin Local Government, kicked off with a spectacular and colorful opening ceremony inside the Amuwo Odofin Primary School Playground.
Amuwo Odofin Local Government Chairman, Engineer Valentine Buraimoh, delivered a welcome address at the opening ceremony on November 2nd, 2019.
“AmuwoGames has brought sporting activities to Amuwo Odofin Local Government’s nooks and crannies. In the most recent sports festival, Lagos State performed admirably, and Amuwo Odofin Local Government was well represented. This has encouraged us to support sporting activities in Amuwo Odofin, as well as provide a sense of belonging and direction for our youth,” he said in his speech.
The founder of AmuwoGames, Seun Ayeni, stated that the sports festival was inspired by the need to engage the energies and time of talented young Amuwo Odofin residents.
“We warned that if we let this energy go unutilized, it could turn to violence. So we decided to make the most of their efforts. In 2017, the idea was born. We decided to organize sporting events for them in order to divert their attention away from the unfavorable election results. The goal is to promote youth development, communal unity, and the reduction of social vices.”
When asked about the challenges of running such a project, Ayeni stated, “We need sponsorship.” We require the assistance of corporate organizations. It is a community service for us, not a profit-making venture. People are needed to support sports at the grassroots level. Youths can follow in the footsteps of this initiative. We don’t always have to rely on the government.”
During the ceremony, the participating teams were urged to be courteous, avoid violence, and demonstrate sportsmanship.
GT Da Guitarman, a Nigerian singer, and Indomix, a celebrity sound engineer, were among the dignitaries present at the historic opening ceremony.