Lagos stadium, arena of prostitutes – Osaile

Swimming pool section of the National Stadium... now closed

Boxing promoter, Martins Osaile, has lamented the state of the National Stadium, Lagos, saying it has turned to a home for prostitutes.

The multi-purpose stadium, built in 1972, was once the pride of the country, hosting high-profile games including the final of the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, which the Green Eagles won.

But the stadium has gradually degenerated, due to lack of maintenance.

Osaile said government officials were only interested in hiring the place to people, to the detriment of the state of the sports arena.

He said, “The National Stadium, Lagos has been turned to a brothel. Someone there built rooms all around the place and it is prostitutes patronising the place.

“They (officials) know about what is going on but they don’t care because they hire the place to people. All the under of the steps (of the main bowl) have been converted to small rooms, where they practice prostitution.”

Osaile said the situation was the same across most stadiums in the country, except for the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

“I have never seen where facilities have been so abandoned. The Liberty Stadium (Ibadan) is dead. They said Enugu stadium is under concession but where are the concession papers? Only the Ahmadu Bello Stadium is a bit neat and this is because of the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, who loves sports and comes from the state,” Osaile added.

“Government is not monitoring facilities; they should look at them and put them in good use.”