Lagos State has always been the bedrock of Nigerian football. Between the 1980s and 1990s, about 40% of clubs in the Nigerian league were based in the state.
However, as clubs began to drop out of the top flight, the issue of facilities became critical due to limited availability and poor maintenance.
The narrative changed during the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Governor of Lagos State. He completed the Teslim Balogun Stadium after over a decade of abandonment and also redeveloped King George V Stadium, now known as Onikan Stadium.
Under Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, Teslim Balogun Stadium was further upgraded to world-class standards. The stadium hosted matches during the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Nigeria U-20 qualifiers, and a Super Eagles game against Sierra Leone.
Fashola also upgraded Agege Stadium and transformed a community facility into a modern stadium suitable for Premier League matches.
His administration matched words with action by upgrading facilities ahead of the 2012 National Sports Festival, which was rated as one of the best in the history of the festival.
During Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s tenure, MFM FC qualified for the CAF Champions League. To enable them to play at home, Agege Stadium was upgraded to CAF standard in record time, saving the club from relocating to Abeokuta.
However, since the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state has struggled to sustain the standard. At the moment, only Onikan Stadium upgraded under Ambode is available for league matches.
Both Agege Stadium and Teslim Balogun Stadium have been under renovation for an extended period.
This comes at a time when Lagos now boasts three NPFL clubs, Ikorodu City FC, who have been in the league for about 4 seasons, and new entrants, Sporting Lagos and Inter Lagos.
With Smart City FC and newcomers ,Eko United, also in the NNL, the question of where to host home matches has become urgent.
A top official of one of the Premier League clubs, who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimization, expressed frustration. He revealed that despite the league season commencing days ago, the Lagos State Sports Commission wrote to clubs stating that stadium usage can not be guaranteed from November due to electioneering activities.
He lamented the government’s insensitivity to sports development and to businesses around the stadiums that rely on match days for survival.
According to him, clubs may now be forced to play their home games outside the state, increasing costs, while businesses around the stadiums lose revenue.
He also questioned why stadiums built for sports are being used for political campaigns when Tafawa Balewa Square, which was built for that purpose, is available.
