PUNCH
Once the pride of the nation and the best in West Africa, the 51-year-old National Stadium, Lagos has been left to rot away by successive administrations, writes ‘TANA AIYEJINA’
On Friday, sports minister Sunday Dare ordered the temporary closure of the dilapidated National Stadium, Lagos after the collapse of one of the giant floodlights at the arena two days before.
The floodlights pillar caved in from the middle, following a windstorm, bringing down the ramshackle floodlights.
The stadium, built in 1972, has been a disaster waiting to happen, no thanks to its abandonment by successive administrations for close to two decades.
While on an inspection of the facility following the collapsed floodlights Friday — his third inspection in one month — the outgoing minister sounded a warning that the remaining three floodlights had also been affected by “age and weather elements.”
“Based on my assessment, advice of experts and in the interest of public safety, the ministry will announce shortly the temporary closure of the stadium and surrounding facilities for proper assessment and necessary action,” Dare stated on Twitter
“We have decided to err on the side of caution, hence the decision to impose extensive restrictions around the stadium. We request the cooperation of anyone who this decision may inconvenience.”
N10bn to fix floodlights
Dare, on his penultimate inspection, had hinted that the floodlights were in bad shape, adding that the Federal Government would need at least N10bn to fix them.
“We are working on a complete fix of the electrical problem because the connection is the most important: it connects the sprinklers and the scoreboard, but we can’t go to the floodlights yet because to fix them, you need about N10bn,” Dare said.
Terrace on verge of collapse
However, the worst may not have been heard of the edifice, as Dare also stated that a large percentage of the stands were in a precarious state and could crumble as well.
“We also commissioned an expert report to check the stands and their integrity. And 40 per cent of the stands, the report said, had cracked and that we would have to knock them down completely because they are dangerous. If you fix new chairs and people sit on it, it could collapse,” Dare added.
Glory days
Built in 1972, the then 55,000-capacity National Stadium, Lagos was the best in West Africa at the time and immediately hosted the African Games the following year. It also hosted major sporting events like the 1980 and 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, the 1999 U-20 World Cup, and top continental competitions, amongst others.
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