As part of efforts to develop sporting talents from the grassroots, the Lagos State Government has begun a state wide campaign to introduce and popularize archery across public secondary schools.
The initiative, organised by the Lagos State Sports Commission in partnership with the Lagos State Archery Association, commenced at Sango Junior Secondary School within the Dairy Farms School Complex in Agege and will extend across the state’s six educational districts.
Speaking at the launch of the mentorship and development clinic, the Vice Chairman of the Lagos State Archery Association, Emmanuel Oyeleke, said the programme was designed to institutionalise the sport within the school system while identifying future champions.
“The purpose of this clinic is to introduce the sport and develop talent from the grassroots in every school across Lagos State.
“We are visiting all education districts to exhibit the sport and train game masters. Once these instructors are skilled, they will take over the training of students in their respective schools,” he said.
Under the initiative, 20 game masters and mistresses are being trained in each educational district through a train-the-trainer model, while students are also receiving introductory lessons in archery.
Oyeleke said the state plans to establish archery centres in all six education districts to deepen participation and provide structured training opportunities for pupils.
“It’s a whole encompassing programme that we’ve designed. After this introduction, we’re going to establish an archery centre in each education district that will be equipped so that all the secondary schools’ students can come and train and gain more skills in the sport of archery,” he said.
He added that exceptionally talented students would be invited to the Zen Lagos Archery Arena located within the Teslim Balogun Stadium complex for advanced performance training and exposure.
“Our facility in Teslim Balogun Stadium, right there in the Lagos State Sports Commission premises, Zen Lagos Archery Arena, we’ll be inviting some of these kids that have shown exceptional talent to get more exposure to how archery is being done,” he said.
One of the highlights of the opening session was the participation of National Junior Champion, Gabriel Nojeh, a student of Mainland High School, who encouraged fellow pupils to embrace the sport.
“Archery has made me stand out among my peers. Archery is very fun, entertaining, unique, and special. Archery is everything,” he said.
Nojeh said he had already won national honours within a year of taking up the sport.
“Since I started last June, I have won the Zen Open Tournament (Under-18 Barebow) and the National Championship in Abuja.
“I am grateful to the Lagos State Sports Commission for the sponsorship and support that made this success possible,” he said.
The programme has already begun identifying promising young athletes, with Olubudo Timilehin, an SS2 student of Sango Senior Secondary School, emerging as one of the standout performers during the opening session.
The developmental clinic is expected to run for two weeks across all six educational districts in Lagos State.
