Orile-Agege LCDA to Discover and Develop Boxing Talents Through “Fight for Asiwaju” Championship
The Chairman of Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Akinola Idowu, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to youth engagement and talent development through sports, particularly boxing, as part of efforts to add value to the lives of residents in the community.
Speaking during a press engagement ahead of the “Fight for Asiwaju” Boxing Championship, the chairman described motivation and service as a vision-driven responsibility to the people who entrusted him with leadership.
According to him, investing in sports—especially boxing—is a deliberate strategy to empower young people, engage their energy positively, and create opportunities for future success.
“Motivation is something of the mind; it is a vision. I have been indebted to my people that I will not disappoint them. When I came on board, I saw that the sporting arena alone is worth investing in because I want to engage people and add value to their lives,” he said.
Idowu explained that the initiative is aimed at discovering and nurturing talents within the community who could eventually represent the area and the country at international boxing competitions.
He noted that the championship would serve as a platform to identify promising boxers and provide them with opportunities for growth, while also encouraging greater participation in sports within the LCDA.
The chairman also highlighted that the event forms part of broader community engagement strategies, stressing that meaningful leadership must focus on improving the lives of the people.
“If you don’t add value to people’s lives, they will not support you. We want to engage the youths, empower their potential, and make them valuable not only to themselves but also to society,” he added.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Sports Committee in Orile-Agege LCDA, Oladipo Liadi, described the championship as a major step toward discovering and developing local talents in the area.
Liadi said the initiative goes beyond organizing competitions, emphasizing that it is designed to identify talented athletes and expose them to greater opportunities.
“It is important to hold championships because they create opportunities to discover and develop talents within our LCDA. What we are doing is not just about organizing a competition; it is about spotting and nurturing talents and ensuring they are exposed to bigger platforms,” he stated.
He revealed that the council has also approved the purchase of a boxing ring that will be accessible to athletes in the community, further strengthening the infrastructure for boxing development in Orile-Agege.
According to him, Orile-Agege has long been known for producing talented boxers, and the new initiative aims to revive and strengthen that legacy.
“If Lagos State is selecting ten athletes for national or international competitions, we believe that in the next two to three years, at least three to five of them will come from Orile-Agege,” Liadi said confidently.
The sports committee chairman added that the council plans to organize championships regularly throughout the year, ensuring continuous engagement for athletes, coaches, and other stakeholders in the sports sector.
He also confirmed that coaches, boxing clubs, and sports administrators in the area have been fully involved in the planning process, noting that their participation is essential for the success of the championship.
According to him, over 20 boxing clubs and coaches are already part of the initiative, and the community has the capacity to produce more than 100 boxers for competitions if needed.
Liadi concluded by stressing that the championship belongs to the boxing community in Orile-Agege, assuring that all stakeholders—from coaches to athletes—will continue to play active roles in shaping the future of boxing in the area.
