Lagos Backs Coach Dreh, Olufemi on Sports-Driven Youth Development, Drug Abuse Campaign…As Akinrodoye unveils Osun-Lagos triathlon challenge, Olufemi plans Abuja-Lagos run

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Lagos Backs Coach Dreh, Olufemi on Sports-Driven Youth Development, Drug Abuse Campaign

…As Akinrodoye unveils Osun-Lagos triathlon challenge, Olufemi plans Abuja-Lagos run

The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to youth development, sports excellence and the promotion of positive social values, pledging to support talented young people seeking to use sporting activities to address societal challenges.

The commitment was reiterated at a joint press conference addressed by the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Hon. Mobolaji Ogunlende, and the Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Lekan Fatodu, at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

The event featured presentations by two sports enthusiasts and advocates, Dare Samuel Akinrodoye, popularly known as Coach Dreh, and Olufemi, who are pursuing separate endurance challenges designed to promote youth engagement, healthy living, mental wellbeing and the campaign against drug abuse.

While Akinrodoye announced plans for a multi-discipline endurance challenge linking Osun State to Lagos, Olufemi disclosed his intention to undertake a long-distance run from Abuja to Lagos as part of his advocacy against drug abuse.

Speaking at the event, Fatodu said the Lagos State Government remained committed to identifying, encouraging and supporting sporting talents, stressing that young people with exceptional abilities deserved opportunities to develop their potential.

He noted that sports could serve as a powerful instrument for youth empowerment, social mobilisation and national development, adding that the government would not take the sporting abilities of young people for granted.

According to him, the experiences of athletes such as Akinrodoye and Olufemi demonstrate how individual sporting ambitions can be channelled into initiatives capable of inspiring others and promoting positive change in society.

Fatodu said the state government was interested in discovering people with different sporting skills and helping them translate their ambitions into meaningful achievements.

Similarly, Ogunlende expressed delight at the abilities demonstrated by young people in various sporting disciplines, noting that government had a responsibility to encourage their talents and create opportunities for them to excel.

The commissioner recalled meeting Akinrodoye more than a year ago after his swimming feat at the Third Mainland Bridge and subsequently introducing him to Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to bring his sporting achievements and advocacy initiatives to the attention of the state government.

Ogunlende reiterated the government's willingness to support promising talents and encourage young people to become worthy ambassadors of Lagos State and Nigeria through their chosen vocations.

He also emphasised the importance of mental health awareness and providing appropriate support to people experiencing emotional difficulties, while underscoring the need for sustained advocacy against drug abuse.

Coach Dreh unveils Project 226

Akinrodoye's proposed endurance initiative, tagged “Project 226 – Endurance Has No Visa,” is designed as a one-day challenge combining 3.8 kilometres of swimming, 180 kilometres of cycling and a 42.2-kilometre run.

Scheduled for November 15, 2026, the proposed challenge is intended to link Osun State to Lagos through three demanding endurance disciplines, highlighting the role of sports in promoting physical fitness, determination, discipline and personal development.

Akinrodoye said the initiative was not merely about achieving an individual sporting milestone but also about using athletics to communicate important messages to young people and encourage healthier lifestyle choices.

“I am not just an athlete or a swimming coach; I am also a mental-health advocate who uses sports for development to pass a message,” he said.

He explained that the project represented an extension of his advocacy, which seeks to demonstrate how sporting activities can provide constructive engagement for young people while encouraging greater attention to emotional wellbeing and resilience.

A major milestone in his sporting journey was his successful swim across the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos in 2024, an achievement he used to draw attention to depression, suicide prevention and the importance of seeking appropriate support during periods of emotional distress.

Through Project 226, Akinrodoye hopes to expand that message by combining endurance sports with advocacy for healthy living, youth development and community support.

He is seeking the backing of the Lagos State Government, corporate organisations, sporting bodies and other stakeholders to actualise the initiative and extend its impact beyond a personal athletic accomplishment.

Olufemi takes anti-drug campaign from Ibadan-Lagos to Abuja-Lagos

On his part, Olufemi highlighted the use of long-distance running as a platform for raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and encouraging young people to make informed and responsible choices.

He disclosed that his drug-abuse advocacy initiative began in 2024 and included a sensitisation run from Ibadan to Lagos.

Building on that experience, he announced plans for a new 21-day running campaign from Abuja to Lagos, aimed at sustaining public awareness and expanding conversations about drug abuse and its consequences for individuals, families and communities.

Olufemi said the proposed initiative was intended to demonstrate how sporting activities could be deployed to communicate social messages, engage communities and encourage young people to embrace productive pursuits.

The two initiatives underscore the growing use of sports-based advocacy to connect physical activity with broader social concerns, including substance abuse, emotional wellbeing and youth empowerment.

Government pledges continued support

The joint appearance of the two advocates provided an opportunity for the Ministry of Youth and Social Development and the Lagos State Sports Commission to highlight the relationship between sports development and the state's wider youth-development objectives.

By encouraging grassroots participation, identifying emerging talents and supporting athletes with distinctive abilities, the government seeks to create pathways for young people to pursue their ambitions and contribute to society.

Ogunlende and Fatodu assured the advocates of the government's commitment to identifying promising young people and encouraging them to develop their talents, with the ultimate objective of producing individuals capable of representing Lagos State and Nigeria with distinction.

Their position also reinforced the need for collaboration among government institutions, private-sector organisations, sports administrators and community stakeholders to support initiatives that combine athletic achievement with public education and social development.

For Akinrodoye and Olufemi, the proposed endurance challenges represent opportunities to demonstrate that sports can extend beyond competition and recreation to become a platform for advocacy, inspiration and positive social change.

With Project 226 and the proposed Abuja-to-Lagos sensitisation run, the two advocates are seeking to use their respective sporting pursuits to encourage young people to embrace discipline, healthy living and constructive engagement while drawing attention to issues affecting their wellbeing and future.

Tighten this for national newspaper style

Lead with Lagos support for Akinrodoye

Clarify the Osun-Lagos challenge description