Alao reveals plans to develop track and field in Lagos State

After emerging as the representative of the Southwest on the newly constituted board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, the chairman of the Lagos State Athletics Association, Solomon Alao, has revealed his plans to develop track and field in Lagos State and at the zonal level.

Speaking during the inauguration of the new AFN board by the Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, in Abuja on Tuesday, Alao said he would be working alongside other state chairmen to develop track and field in the zone.

It would be recalled that Alao defeated the former vice president of the AFN, Olamide George, in the zonal election and has assured athletes and officials of a new dawn.

"Foremost I will say there was no winner as all we are looking forward to is the development of athletics in our zone," he said.

"I want to use this opportunity to thank those who came out to vote, but I will say the work starts now.

"There are lots of programmes we have experimented with in Lagos since we came on board as an association that yielded positive results, and with this election over, we are going to see how we can replicate them throughout the zone.

"Now, we have to do things in the right way, we have to start earnestly, we have to rebuild, Nigeria must take back its rightful place. 

"I have been in sports in the last 20 years, I will bring my experience to bear, on all assignments, I want to tell you that things will begin to change at the Southwest zone. 

"I already have a lot of support, I also have a strong pedigree behind me, not just mine alone, but everyone supporting me."