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By Sola Rotimi
The third edition of the biennial Lightway Schools, Ilorin inter-house athletics competition, concluded on Wednesday, February 18, earning praise for its improved organisation and prompting renewed calls for structured grassroots sports development across Nigeria.
The event was help at the stadium complex of the University of Ilorin.
Serving as referee and starter, Dr. Rafiat Olusola, a lecturer and athletics coach at the University of Ilorin, commended the steady progress the competition has recorded since its inception.
“I must say that there is an appreciable improvement in this edition,” she observed, describing the overall organization, officiating and time management as “top-notch.”
Olusola, however identified the lack of adequate facilities in most primary and secondary schools as major challenge to grassroots sports development.
“While constructing school structures, provisions should also be made for sports facilities,” she emphasized, adding that the facilities would enable schools to host competitions, attract more students, and build stronger community participation.
The Human Kinetics lecturer linked grassroots investment to Nigeria’s historic sporting achievements, making reference to international stars like Hakeem Olajuwon, Chioma Ajunwa, Mary Onyali, and Tobi Amusan, who began from humble beginnings.
She added that building a verified and consistent pool of young athletes would also address persistent challenges such as age falsification in sports.
The proprietor of Lightway Schools, Mr. David Erinoso, stated that there has been a visible growth of the inter- house sports from the maiden edition in 2022 through 2024, noting that the 2026 event has set a new benchmark.
“If you look at the trend, you will see that there is a lot of improvement in the organization, a lot of improvement in management, time management, and overall coordination of the event,” the Proprietor stated.
Mr. David Erinoso, Proprietor; Mrs. Modupe Erinoso, the Proprietress; and Toyin.
According to him, the event also provided an opportunity for bonding among parents, guardians, and invited guests, as well as fostering interaction among pupils of Lightway Schools and other participating schools.
He reiterated the broader vision of identifying latent talent early and building a pipeline that leads from school competitions to state, national and eventually international representation.
“We are looking forward to some day, in the near future, seeing some of these children representing the state, representing the country, and doing great things in sporting activities,” Erinoso added.
The sporting activities included races, high jump, tug of war, and other early childhood games, with Green (Love House) topping the medal table.
