Purported senior athletes who claim to have represented Lagos State at the 2022 and 2024 National Sports Festivals are seeking incentives despite no prior government commitment before the competition.
Some senior athletes claiming to be part of Team Lagos on Wednesday staged a protest at the office of the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, demanding discretionary rewards for their medal-winning performances at the 2022 National Sports Festival in Asaba and the recent 2024 edition in Abeokuta, despite no official promises of such incentives from the state government.
The athletes, who stated that they received their statutory allowances and upkeep money during both competitions, are now seeking additional incentives following their disappointing collective performance at the Gateway Games 2024, where Lagos State placed sixth.
One of the protesting athletes, who identified herself as Kemi, a bronze medallist at the Gateway Games in Abeokuta, told our correspondent that their action was not about unpaid participation entitlements but about recognition for their efforts.
“We are not saying Lagos refused to pay allowances. What we are saying is that the Lagos State Government should give us the same recognition and incentive they gave the under-15 athletes who came second at the 2024 National Youth Games. We have also seen in the news that the Governor wants to host the under-15 Lagos athletes following their first-place finish at the 2025 National Youth Games. We ask the Governor to be benevolent and recognise us despite our performance.”
The self-declared spokesman of the athletes, who preferred to remain anonymous, also stated:
“We understand there were no promises and our festival allowances were paid, but we believe our achievements should also be considered by the government. The award we are protesting for did not start under the administration of this current Director General, Mr Lekan Fatodu; it’s from his predecessor, and we expect him to help us do something about it.”
While acknowledging they had received their rightful statutory allowances during both festivals, the supposed athletes are now retroactively seeking discretionary rewards that were neither announced nor promised by Lagos State officials before or after the competitions.
A concerned civil servant, who did not want her identity revealed, expressed shock at the demands of the protesters. “I am shocked at the behaviour and disposition of these people here. Not only is their approach unruly, but their communication is incoherent, and I am not sure these people are part of the Lagos athletes. I expect that the leadership at the Lagos State Sports Commission gets on top of this, verifies if they are impostors or actual athletes making these demands, and does the needful.”
Sources within the Lagos State Sports Commission, headed by Director General Mr. Lekan Fatodu, emphasised that the state has consistently fulfilled its statutory obligations to athletes, including prompt payment of allowances and upkeep during competitions.
“Lagos State has never defaulted on statutory payments of allowances and monthly grants to athletes. What the athletes are seeking now are discretionary incentives that were never announced or budgeted for,” a commission insider revealed.
The source added that while the state government appreciates athletes’ contributions, retroactive reward demands pose budgetary and procedural challenges.
Despite the absence of prior promises, the protesting Lagos athletes are maintaining their position, arguing that their medal-winning performances deserve recognition beyond statutory allowances. They have appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to consider establishing a retroactive reward system for their past performances, as well as a structured incentive programme for future competitions.
The outcome of this protest could influence how other states handle similar situations where athletes seek rewards that were never officially promised but may be considered justified based on performance achievements.
Comrade Amos Ojajuni