By Daily Sports on December 12, 2016

Let me introduce Mr. Steve Ayorinde, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy as our Sports Personality of the week. Therefore his antecedents eminently qualified him to grace and be unveiled in this highly reverend critical page.

I met Steve once and it was by chance at the Newsroom of the National Mirror when he was its Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief. I was there to pick a vital thing from my friend on the sports desk. A recap: I was one of the top three guys at the Sports Desk of the then Daily Newswatch. He is at home talking sports and loves it to his bone marrow. The rest is now history.

He assumed office in October 2015. He was born July 9, 1970 in Ibadan, Oyo State. An alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Lagos, and University of Leicester, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Globalization and Communications, well-travelled and a multilingual, Steve is a European Union Fellow at the Foundation Journalists-in-Europe (1997-98 set) – a comprehensive one-year training scheme for mid-career journalists. He is also an alumnus of the prestigious State Department’s International Visitors’ program (IVP) in the United States; Goethe Institute, Berlin and University of Siena for Foreigners, Italy. He has more than 24 years’ experience in Journalism. He is well grounded Journalist/Media Consultant before he was appointed Commissioner for information and Strategy by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode. He was also the Editor of The Punch Newspaper. A man of many parts, he is regarded as one of Nigeria’s finest, renowned film and art critic, who served on the Juries for some of the world’s most recognised film festivals and awards, such as the Toronto International Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, AMAA and Mumbai International Film Festival. No doubt, he made efficacious and rewarding career in journalism. He is author and publisher of many books.

A committed member of the pen community, he served the Nigerian Guild of Editors in various capacities over the past decade, as Assistant Secretary.

He is a star player in Governor Ambode’s team, the writer took time to reel out some of his achievements and background so that nobody will turn around to accuse me of spotlighting a nobody on the hard to get page. He is a sure footed personality and the way and matter he is managing information of the government has proved most of us right.

For instance, he has been so visible on the scene ensuring that the ongoing CAF Beach Soccer tournament will be successful, in short, working round the clock to leave long lasting memories in the hearts of fans, players, organisers, stakeholders and sundry.

Steve took it upon himself to ensure that accreditation of Journalists that gave a hell of problem was promptly rectified. The way and manner he unveiled plans in a media conference, was simply electrifying, armed with depth on the game, as if he was an ex-international. He was at home with that day’s subject matter. He made more friends for the government as he sold its programmes to the audience that gathered for the sport event. He is an intelligent administrator par excellence. Look at one of his quotable quotes..."Resilience must be in the DNA of a thinking government that bequeaths to Lagosians the Light Up Lagos project as one of its prime legacies; while noting the fact that the teeming youthful population needs empowerment through an initiative like the N25 billion Employment Trust Fund, which seeks to support young entrepreneurs and startup businesses with soft loans. Innovative thinking that comes with courageous execution and prudent management of resources, therefore, are two essential elements that Lagos State government has adopted in approaching its ‘continuity with improvement’ policy.

"‘Smart’ and ‘resilient’ are great adjectives to describe a person or an entity that knows how to get the job done admirably. These words more than qualify the giant strides that Lagos State is recording lately, and two key events of the past couple of months underscore the remarkable profile that Lagos is enjoying, especially with global institutions.”

The Commissioner did not fail to sing-song how tourism and sports would play pivotal roles in Ambode’s spirited quest to develop the state to high heavens. The government, he posited is never pretending about it, indicators to such effect are practically there.

He reassured that it is in the light of the above that the government declared to construct five additional stadia in five administrative divisions of the state. Ayorinde said that the five stadia were already captured in the state’s 2017 budget proposal. No doubt, it’s good news for the youths that they would lack no facility to effectively horn the choices of sports they have comparative advantage.

Those of us that are keenly watching and are abreast with government activities in the state can vividly recall this landmark statement by Ayorinde: “In Lagos, T.H.E.S.E Is the Crux of the Matter, it came barely a month after the hugely successful 2016 Access Bank/Lagos City Marathon, and then, the historic FC Barcelona’s visit he said touches the heart of Governor Ambode’s core promise to Lagosians. For it would be recalled that Project T.H.E.S.E was a major campaign point. To Ambode, the need to use Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment and the Arts as well as Sports to bring Excellence to Lagos State remains paramount in his administration," he recalled.

It was one occasion that gladdened the heart of the governor and his team, adding to the upward swing with which the Ambode administration has been moving in the past one year and some months.

And before anyone could say Up Barca!, pronto, Lagosians too, in their millions, got wind of the news and became expectant – the world’s biggest football club, FC Barcelona of Spain, had chosen Lagos as the next destination where it plans to build a Football Academy and help develop both the technical skills and entrepreneurial acumen required in nurturing a formidable and profitable football team.

"That was the good news that started that week for Governor Ambode and some members of his cabinet who welcomed the leadership of FC Barcelona team on a courtesy visit to the Government House in Alausa, Ikeja. And what a piece of good news that runs in sync with Lagos’ fresh appellation as Africa’s destination of choice when it comes to sporting and entertainment activities," Ayorinde remarked.

When it finally berths, the Barca Academy in Lagos will be the first of its kind in Africa, since the other 17 similar academies that the club runs are scattered all over the world with none in Africa. Bringing the 18th Barca Academy to Lagos, of course, says nothing other than reaffirm the hegemony of this world’s largest black metropolis which is lucky enough to have a servant leader (Gov. Ambode) that is profound to explore the potential that sport offers in placing this wonderful city-state on a global map.

It was expected, therefore, that Governor Ambode would not mince words in giving his unflinching support to this laudable proposition that sits well with his campaign promise of using sports, entertainment and tourism to drive youth empowerment in this bustling city-state of 21 million people, 65 percent of which are youths.

In welcoming the Barcelona Soccer Academy, just like London, Dubai and other cities have done; therefore, Lagos is only joining the big league that it rightly belongs. It is playing host to Africa Nations Cup Beach Soccer summit just like it identifies with series of world-class events that celebrate the arts, culture and entertainment, and of course sports.

I do not think anyone should be in doubt over Barcelona FC’s capacity to deliver on its promise. I had the opportunity of doffing my hat to the Barca phenomenon in June 2014 while attending the World Editors Congress in Barcelona. A tour of and dinner at Camp Nou, Barca’s impressive stadium, was one icing on the cake of taking several hundreds of media chiefs across the world to the city that is as ferociously patriotic as it is accommodating and multicultural like Lagos, central to the success of this club is the philosophy of developing home-grown players through the youth academy and soccer camps. The Barcelona Soccer Academy (BSA) has since established itself as a breeding ground for talented ball jugglers and future millionaires.

Sports Steve insists, Lagos can certainly do with such a veritable platform for self-discovery and expression among its teeming youths, more so, he infers that it’s a direct foreign investment.

As a word smith, Steve explained further that, his Governor, as one whose word is his bond, the crux of the matter is how in one year and some months, he has left no one in doubt that Ambode’s Lagos will be an eye-opener and acknowledged in matters of sports, entertainment and tourism with pomp and ceremony. He believes with this, a new dawn has set in with a new way of growing sports in the state. He said Lagos as the Centre of Excellence had been number one in sports and entertainment and believed in using sports to sell the mega city. Ayorinde revealed that government was sponsoring the 2nd Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations, holding from December 13 to 18 at the Eko Atlantic, because it believed in showcasing not just sports but its tourism potential.

He noted that two major components had been built into the hosting — sports and tourism, arts and entertainment — to achieve the state’s quest to make Lagos the sports hub in Africa.

He informed that the government had partnered with countries that excel in sports and many organisations to promote a culture of sports. We are hosting because the state wants to set the tone of its excellence through sports, to create a sports culture where every interested youth and the young ones can get into sports.

He emphasised that Copa Lagos has been on for six years; Lagos State is reshaping and redefining Beach soccer in its annals. “Our aim is to make Lagos a sports destination and we will get there sooner than later.”

He added that there would be elaborate proceedings to showcase Lagos at the opening and closing ceremonies of the ongoing AFCON Beach Soccer 2016. According to Ayorinde, “Sports is paramount in the activities of the state and we believe this championship is a good platform to mount a showpiece the best of what Lagos can offer in terms of culture and entertainment. Governor Ambode is passionate about sports and determined to make the state the hub of sports in Africa. He is very conscious about youth development in the state through sports."

Ayorinde is a sports lover to the core, the major reason why he is running with these and has often said the state decided to embark on various sporting activities to prevent the youth from social vices. For the Beach Soccer, there are provisions for fans engagement centre, called Lagos State.

There are plans also for shuttle buses to convey fans to the arena. The man has worked and would continue to work harder to ensure the state will attain her goal in sports development and give the youths the needed leverage to excel in sports of their choice. Ayorinde has shown enough capacity in his immediate job as spokesman for the government and in sports, he has been the beacon of light for the administration and its policy on sports seems to be paying off. He discusses sports with all ease answers questions therefrom with relative calm and candour. Lagos State under Gov. Ambode is a study in character, Ayorinde as an apostle of uniqueness, thorough and gritty knows what the state will gain through sports and where it will be if sports is vigorously harnessed.

Lagos State government has set the agenda for itself on sports. Ayorinde whose track record before he joined the cabinet has been that of a high flier is in the fore front of the project has left no one in any iota of doubt to its workability. Daily Sports will keep you abreast; trust our painstaking investigative reportage. Trust, discussion continues! Keep shooting hard, till next week!

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 12, 2016

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