National Stadium Surulere

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National Stadium Surulere

Post by Lolly »

Can it be ever be "restored"?

https://guardian.ng/sport/nesiama-talks ... um-begins/
Nesiama talks tough as ‘restoration’ of Lagos National Stadium begins

By Gowon Akpodonor

14 August 2020 | 4:02 am

• Illegal occupants, structures to go

About 16 years after it was abandoned, the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos is set to come alive again, as the Ministerial Implementation Committee on restoration of the complex is set to begin work next week.

The last major football tournament held at the National Stadium, Lagos was the Four-Nation LG Cup in 2004. Senegal won the tournament, beating Nigeria 1-0. Since then, the stadium has changed from a monument of national pride to a symbol of ‘official neglect and mismanagement,’ with the hallowed turf in a terrible state, while the seats and tartan tracks cry for replacement. The media centre of the stadium complex is an eyesore.

However, in an effort to bring the stadium back to life, Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, appointed former AFN Technical Director, Retired Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, as co-chairman alongside the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Gabriel Aduda, to head the Ministerial Committee to implement the recommendations of the Task Force earlier set up on June 9, 2020.

The committee, which has its membership drawn from the ministry, private sector, stakeholders and the security services, was inaugurated on Monday.

Nesiama told The Guardian yesterday that the ‘restoration’ work would begin immediately.

“We are starting our work immediately as it is a matching order,” Nesiama said. “The work will begin by removing illegal occupants and structures. A phased approach is being worked on by the committee to address the myriad of issues currently affecting the stadium’s Master Plan.”

He continued: “It is too early to start talking about the type and extent of renovation work to expect as developments overtime would unfold as we proceed. But basically, we want to make the National Stadium very attractive for concession to take place later. We have to bring the stadium back to its glory days.”

Apart from the bad pitch and dilapidated structures, the National Stadium, Lagos needs a befitting dressing room, toilets, among others.

Nesiama thanked the minister for the confidence reposed in the members and assured that they would work assiduously to deliver on the terms of reference given to them.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Eaglezbeak »

Neglect caused it, good job there’s no squatters rights in Nigeria, they need to knock down what’s left of it!
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

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Eaglezbeak wrote:Neglect caused it, good job there’s no squatters rights in Nigeria, they need to knock down what’s left of it!
Sometimes I feel for these squatters especially since someone would have been acting as landlord collecting rent from them. The government must have pulled down over hundred of these illegal structures there. That place was a "city" of its own - shops, bars, event centre, "Pako" houses and many more. Nigeria has big problems.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Damunk »

Is the famous 'O'Jays' an illegal structure?
And one dodgy Chinese restaurant like that?
"Ole kuku ni gbogbo wọn "
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Field Marshall Ogolo »

Damunk wrote:Is the famous 'O'Jays' an illegal structure?
And one dodgy Chinese restaurant like that?
National stadium na me get am ! :lol:
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Bell »

Lolly wrote:Can it be ever be "restored"?

https://guardian.ng/sport/nesiama-talks ... um-begins/
Nesiama talks tough as ‘restoration’ of Lagos National Stadium begins

By Gowon Akpodonor

14 August 2020 | 4:02 am

• Illegal occupants, structures to go

About 16 years after it was abandoned, the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos is set to come alive again, as the Ministerial Implementation Committee on restoration of the complex is set to begin work next week.

The last major football tournament held at the National Stadium, Lagos was the Four-Nation LG Cup in 2004. Senegal won the tournament, beating Nigeria 1-0. Since then, the stadium has changed from a monument of national pride to a symbol of ‘official neglect and mismanagement,’ with the hallowed turf in a terrible state, while the seats and tartan tracks cry for replacement. The media centre of the stadium complex is an eyesore.

However, in an effort to bring the stadium back to life, Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, appointed former AFN Technical Director, Retired Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, as co-chairman alongside the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Gabriel Aduda, to head the Ministerial Committee to implement the recommendations of the Task Force earlier set up on June 9, 2020.

The committee, which has its membership drawn from the ministry, private sector, stakeholders and the security services, was inaugurated on Monday.

Nesiama told The Guardian yesterday that the ‘restoration’ work would begin immediately.

“We are starting our work immediately as it is a matching order,” Nesiama said. “The work will begin by removing illegal occupants and structures. A phased approach is being worked on by the committee to address the myriad of issues currently affecting the stadium’s Master Plan.”

He continued: “It is too early to start talking about the type and extent of renovation work to expect as developments overtime would unfold as we proceed. But basically, we want to make the National Stadium very attractive for concession to take place later. We have to bring the stadium back to its glory days.”

Apart from the bad pitch and dilapidated structures, the National Stadium, Lagos needs a befitting dressing room, toilets, among others.

Nesiama thanked the minister for the confidence reposed in the members and assured that they would work assiduously to deliver on the terms of reference given to them.
BEFORE THEY BEGIN RENOVATION WORK, THEY NEED TO ANSWER A QUESTION:


Is there a use for the stadium that could justify any expenditure?
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Gotti »

Emperor Ogolo wrote:
Damunk wrote:Is the famous 'O'Jays' an illegal structure?
And one dodgy Chinese restaurant like that?
National stadium na me get am ! :lol:
:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: a classic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd27wOHG1WU[/video]
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#ENDPOLICEBRUTALITY


#FREESENEGAL
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Gotti »

Lolly wrote:
Eaglezbeak wrote:Neglect caused it, good job there’s no squatters rights in Nigeria, they need to knock down what’s left of it!
Sometimes I feel for these squatters especially since someone would have been acting as landlord collecting rent from them. The government must have pulled down over hundred of these illegal structures there. That place was a "city" of its own - shops, bars, event centre, "Pako" houses and many more. Nigeria has big problems.
They still know it's illegal...
And that is reflected in the rates.

Sadly, this country has increasingly become a nation of anyhowness, bordering on the lawless...
With BOTH the govt and the citizens often skirting around the law, and the poor acting with as much impunity as the rich.

We love to blame our "leaders" (I call them rulers) in Nigeria, but frankly a "mine own is different" mentality pervades throughout all cadre of Nigerian society, and accordingly the leadership class is often merely reflective of prevailing norms, mores and values of the general population. Ultimately, the Nigeria's is the culmination of the collective actions of ALL Nigerians (by commission or omission), and so will be its future.
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Gotti »

Bell wrote:BEFORE THEY BEGIN RENOVATION WORK, THEY NEED TO ANSWER A QUESTION:

Is there a use for the stadium that could justify any expenditure?
Bell
If you are thinking football, the short answer would be nyet!

But the complex is much more than just a football stadium, and Nigeria dearly needs world-class facilities for basketball, boxing, swimming, volleyball, handball, tennis, ping-pong, badmington, squash, weightlifting, judo, taekwondo, athletics, training, camping, etc. It also houses the Institute of Sports (where coaches are trained), and the administrative headquarters of most of the national sports associations. That's why it was/is known as Sportscity.
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Benedict Iroha »

Demolish the whole things and build a new 60-80k Capacity Stadium with no tracks there like Al Shohada Stadium in Iraq with Solar.

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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by jette1 »

Lolly wrote:
The fact there are no bulldozers or on the seen debunks this latest rumors that work is about to commence there; it would amount to double work to first use matchet like we see them doing and knock stuff down only to come back and start picking up same debris later on when you could do both in one sweep with a bulldozer if in fact work is about to start. it make no sense and that is the telling sign that nothing is about to begin. forget it
make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.

"It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If the--if he--if 'is' means is and never has been, that is not--that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement....Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true."
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Lolly »

Damunk wrote:Is the famous 'O'Jays' an illegal structure?
And one dodgy Chinese restaurant like that?
It appears so, according to this article.

I remember rushing there on my way back from a meeting to go and watch an U-17 FIFA world cup match and majority of the guests wanted to watch EPL and Arsenal instead. The thing vex me, no be small.

https://thelagostoday.com/2020/09/08/de ... -complete/
Demolition of Illegal Structures At Lagos’ National Stadium 75% Complete

by Idonosan Debe September 8, 2020 in Headlines, Lagos News 2 min read 0 0

The Lagos State Government has said that the ongoing demolition of illegal structures within the Lagos’ National Stadium has been executed to 75 percent completion rate.

According to the state’s Ministerial Implementation Committee on ‘restoration’ of Lagos National Stadium, the entire project is expected to last for seven more weeks.

Already, several structures, including the O’jez Bar and Old Skool joint, have been marked for demolition.

The National Stadium which sits at Surulere, Lagos, last hosted a major event in 2004. Since then, it has been abandoned with virtually all aspects of the complex in dire need of rehabilitation.

The Co-chairman of the Restoration Committee Retired Navy-Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, said, yesterday, that the demolition was halted to allow shop owners move out their property.

“We just slowed down to allow those moving out to get their property out safely.

“The final stage of the demolition will take place this week. By Thursday, the bulldozers will move in finally to roll over all illegal structures, and thereafter, we will begin cleaning of the rubbles.”


Nesiama commended shop owners affected in the exercise for their understanding.

He said, “I commend them for their understanding, and for heeding to our advice. Their interest is no doubt being factored into the future scheme of things. In the long run, everyone will be better for it.”

According to one of the shopowners, “This demolition is a big punishment to me. I don’t even have a good place for my property. But I have to take some important ones to my house inside Surulere to avoid being crushed by the bulldozers. The stadium is a Federal Government property, and there is no way we can argue with them.”

It can be recalled that a 21-day eviction notice was given to ‘illegal occupants’ to vacate the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos by the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Damunk »

^^^^^
Thanks.
I have fond memories of O'jez too.
Specifically, its where I first heard the then newly released 'Do Me' by P Square on a visit to Naija. :thumb:
"Ole kuku ni gbogbo wọn "
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Post by iworo »

In my opinion, they should just knock it down and build a new one. Same thing was done to old Giants Stadium (80,242 capacity) at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants Stadium was demolished to make way for the new MetLife stadium (82,500 capacity). The official groundbreaking was held on September 5, 2007 and the new stadium opened on April 10, 2010.
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Eaglezbeak »

Lolly wrote:
Eaglezbeak wrote:Neglect caused it, good job there’s no squatters rights in Nigeria, they need to knock down what’s left of it!
Sometimes I feel for these squatters especially since someone would have been acting as landlord collecting rent from them. The government must have pulled down over hundred of these illegal structures there. That place was a "city" of its own - shops, bars, event centre, "Pako" houses and many more. Nigeria has big problems.
That’s sad.
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Eaglezbeak »

Benedict Iroha wrote:Demolish the whole things and build a new 60-80k Capacity Stadium with no tracks there like Al Shohada Stadium in Iraq with Solar.

Image

Image\
The only way you’ll get a stadium with out a track in Nigeria is if the NFF really want their own stadium but they’ve never shown interest in doing such a thing.
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Lolly »

Now, what next?
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Lolly »

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
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Re: National Stadium Surulere

Post by Damunk »

Lolly wrote:
This is all about the pitch which is absolutely great but I'd love to know about the plans for the stands and the facilities in the main bowl.
"Ole kuku ni gbogbo wọn "

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