81 Division Inter Command Secondary Schools Sports Competition Kicks Off In Lagos

Chiemelie Ezeobi

The 81 Division Education Services has commenced the 81 Division Inter Command Secondary Schools Sports Competition, charging students to embrace sports as a formative pathway that builds character, leadership and purpose beyond medals.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, acting  Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division Nigerian Army, the competition was formally declared open on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, at the General Tukur Yusuf Buratai Sports Complex, TA Lagbaja Cantonment, Ikeja, Lagos.

Declaring the event open, the Special Guest of Honour and Commander, 9 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General AO Owolabi, urged participating students to see the competition as more than a contest for prizes.

He encouraged them to compete not merely for medals, but for the men and women they will become tomorrow, stressing that sports occupy a unique place in education, describing it as “a classroom where lessons are written in sweat rather than ink”.

Brigadier General Owolabi noted that the competition is anchored on the rich historical legacy of the Nigerian Army, founded on physical fitness, mental toughness and an unbreakable spirit in the face of adversity.

According to him, participation in sports sharpens mental focus, builds physical fortitude and instils a sense of purpose in students, qualities that ultimately shape both their present and future endeavours.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Director, 81 Division Education Services, Colonel OA Olubo, described the competition as a flagship sporting event aimed at achieving a profound fusion of mind and body among students.

She emphasised that “a scholar without discipline and resilience is like a ship without a rudder”, noting that the competition was deliberately organised to foster unity among students, transcending individual rivalries and reinforcing the collective spirit of the Command Schools community.

Colonel Olubo added that the event also serves as a platform for talent discovery, not only in identifying the fastest athletes, but in nurturing sportsmen and women who can lead with integrity, lose with dignity and win with humility.

She urged participants to look beyond medals, stressing that while medals may varnish with time, the character built through competition endures forever.

She also called on officials to uphold the highest standards of fairness, noting that integrity remains the foundation of the competition, while encouraging spectators to cheer in a manner that motivates every athlete to give their best.

Dignitaries at the event included the Corps Commander Education, represented by Lieutenant Colonel UI Jafaru; the Director, Nigerian Army Library Services; the Director, Institute of Army Education, Ikeja; Commandants of Command Secondary Schools in Lagos; as well as senior officers of the Education Corps and other senior officers within the 81 Division Area of Responsibility.

Highlights of the opening ceremony included the presentation of souvenirs, a colourful march-past by students, oath-taking by participants and officials, and the lighting of the Torch of Unity, among others.