Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has congratulated the director-general of the Lagos State Sports Commission Lekan Fatodu on his appointment as president of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation.
Mr Fatodu’s appointment was announced on Friday by the director general of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Bukola Olopade as part of efforts to strengthen governance and promote development across sports federations in the country.
According to Mr Olopade, the decision is aimed at repositioning national sports federations through leadership, institutional reforms and greater focus on athlete development.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his special adviser on media and publicity, Gboyega Akosile, Governor Sanwo-Olu described Fatodu’s appointment as well deserved.
The governor said Fatodu had demonstrated strong leadership in sports administration through his work at the Lagos State Sports Commission.
“On behalf of the Lagos State Government, I congratulate the Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Lekan Fatodu, on his appointment as the President of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
“Fatodu’s appointment at the federal level is good news to us in Lagos, and we rejoice with him. The appointment is well deserved due to his dedication and commitment to the sports industry at the State and national levels.
“We are proud of Lekan Fatodu, and we believe that he will use his new position to reposition sports federations through capable leadership, institutional reforms, and a renewed focus on athlete development for the growth and development of the sports sector in Nigeria,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said.
Fatodu’s appointment comes at a time when stakeholders in aquatic sports are seeking stronger institutional structures, improved athlete development programmes and greater competitiveness at continental and international levels.
Reacting to the appointment, Fatodu said the role presents an opportunity to contribute to the growth of aquatic sports in Nigeria.
“This appointment represents an opportunity to build stronger structures for aquatic sports development across the country. Our focus will be on creating pathways that identify talent early, strengthen coaching and technical capacity, improve competition opportunities, and ensure that Nigerian athletes can compete successfully on the continental and global stage. Sustainable sports development requires systems, consistency, and collaboration, and that is the approach we intend to pursue,” he said.
He also stressed the need to create opportunities for young athletes across the country.
“Our objective must be to create a development model where every talented young Nigerian, regardless of location, has a realistic opportunity to discover, develop, and maximise his or her sporting potential. Aquatic sports offer tremendous possibilities, and we must work collectively to unlock them.”
