Lagos SWAN Launches Nigeria Sports Year Book
The Lagos State chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria ( SWAN) Tuesday, March 3, 2026 in conjunction with O& I Contact Limited rolled out the drums as they launched a compendium of Nigerian sports.
The book titled Nigeria Sports Year Book aimed at laying the foundation for sports record keeping and written by seasoned sports journalists, chronicled the history of various sports in the country, their achievements, limitations and areas of improvement.
The book also chronicled some great sports men and women who have brought glory to the country including some corporate organizations that have played important roles in the country’s sports development.
Speaking at the launch which was held at the Olumo Hall of Radisson Hotel, GRA, keja, Lagos, the Director General of Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu commended the sports writers under the able leadership of Aaron Akerejola for coming up with the idea of such an important book which will be a reference point to researchers, journalists and sports men and women in the country.
He noted that the Lagos State government is happy with the intellectual work put into the publication and charged journalists to continue to be the vanguard of sports reporting in the country.
” I have gone through the book and am happy with the intellectual work put in place. This shows that journalists are not only interested in reportage but are good at intellectual and academic work and I must commend them.
Reviewing the book, Secretary General of Nigeria Olympic Committee Chief Tunde Popoola commended the initiators of the work for their ingenuity noting that it has helped in enriching previous publications carried by the Nigeria Olympic Committee
He recommended the book to all Nigerians desirous to know how sports started in the country from pre- independence era to the present time.
In his remarks, Executive Director GTI, the strategic partners of NFF, Nelson Ineh said he’s proud of what the sports writers did even as he assured that his organization will continue to partner with the football house to make the country’s league one of the best in the world.
In his welcome address, Acting Chairman of Lagos SWAN, Aaron Akerejola said they decided to publish the book after it was discovered that there are few books that gave accurate account of the history of all the sports in the country
The Lagos SWAN boss, noted that the book is subject to criticisms and will be reviewed annually to keep it in tune with current developments in the country’s sports sector.
The lead partner to the publication and Chief Executive Officer of O& I Contact Limited, Isaac Osaikhiwu Isaac described the book as part of efforts by his company and some individuals of like minds to put in a written form historical records of Nigerian sports inorder to enrich the knowledge of Nigerians about the country’s sports.
Isaac while acknowledging that there has been some sports publications in the past posited that the Nigeria Sports Year Book is distinct from others because it went into memory lane to tell Nigerians how various sports came into existence in the country just as he described it as a must read for all Nigerians
