Inside the ruin of Muda Lawal Stadium

Muda Lawal Stadium in Abeokuta, the first stadium in Ogun State, where a number of world-class soccer stars have played football, is in complete decay due to many years of neglect by successive and the incumbent governments. Daily Trust captures the sorry state of the stadium. Driving through Asero-Obantoko road in Abeokuta, Ogun State, one […]

Muda Lawal Stadium in Abeokuta, the first stadium in Ogun State, where a number of world-class soccer stars have played football, is in complete decay due to many years of neglect by successive and the incumbent governments. Daily Trust captures the sorry state of the stadium.

Driving through Asero-Obantoko road in Abeokuta, Ogun State, one would definitely catch a glimpse of the Muda Lawal Stadium, a one-time Mecca of sorts for exceptional soccer stars and football-loving Nigerians. Those who are not familiar with the terrain will mistake it for a street football arena where soccer-loving young chaps play their games.

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Apart from the peeling inscription “Muda Lawal Stadium” scribbled on the wall with white paint, nothing, outwardly, depicts that a stadium is sited at the location.

From the complex, the football pitch, audience stand, running tracks, hockey pitch, baskets ball court, boxing ring and handball pitch, the architecture masterpiece now battles its ruin and despair.

Formerly known as Asero Stadium, the sporting facility was renamed in 1992 after Nigeria’s late prodigious midfielder, Mudashiru Babatunde ‘Muda’ Lawal. Lawal made his international debut in 1975, and won 86 caps and scored 12 goals for his country.

The Legendary Muda Lawal

He holds the record of being the only player on the continent to have appeared at five consecutive Nations’ Cup finals (1976-1984).

Lawal guided Nigeria to its first African Nations Cup title, at the 1980 African Nations Cup. The team also competed at the Summer Olympics the same year. He died on July 6, 1991.

The multi-sports facility used to be the home of Abiola Babes in the 80s, where some of Nigeria’s soccer stars Friday Ekpo, Yisa Shofoluwe, Toyin Ayinla, Raymond King among others, played their games. The stadium estimated to be about 20,000 capacity used to be packed with fans on match days.

A large portion of the abandoned stadium sitting on large expense of land has been turned into a park. A visit to the complex by Daily Trust on Sunday revealed that some parts of the stadium have been converted to a park for heavy duty vehicles. Activities of truck drivers and mechanics as well as furniture makers dominate the area.

Apart from weeds, bushes and thorns within the main complex, the football pitch has become bald and undulating, while the running tracks have been washed away.

Our correspondent observed that the plastic seats at the VIP stand and audience were broken and left in shambles, while another stand built from brick on eastern side of the football pitch has been taken over by weeds and reptiles.

At the boxing ring and handball pitches outside the main-bowl, some street urchins were seen smoking Indian hemp. A large portion has equally been washed away by erosion.

Our correspondent gathered that the All Stars Team at the stadium have   been keeping the stadium alive by cutting grasses at the sports facility to save it from total collapse.

Many years of neglect

The president of the All-Stars, Salmon Akinbo, told Daily Trust Saturday that the poor condition of the stadium was due to many years of neglect by the government.

“Sports council is in charge but we All Stars have an office here and we train here, so anytime the place is bushy, we assist in cutting down the bushes. There is need for them to renovate the pitch, the administrative block, the stand and cover seat,” he said.

Narrating his experience playing on the pitch, Segun Agbayewa, who had played with Abiola Babes, said “It was a great time. When there is a match, before you enter the dressing room, the crowd is already there not to talk of when you get to the pitch. The place is filled and you feel the excitement when you get to the pitch but unfortunately it’s no more like that.”

He described the stadium as one of the best in the country and urged the government to fix it in the interest of the young generation.

“There are lots of people around here that don’t have facilities they can recreate, if we have good facilities here, people will come. Ogun State has been hub of talents because I can remember in our days in football, basketball, athletics, name it, we have lots of talents that have gone out but now, you hardly find somebody even in the state team.

“In our days, we carry our boots anywhere to go and play because we are confident and we know the coach will pick us. They used to come and pick me from Katsina state to play,” Agbayewa said.

Also speaking with our correspondent, Odili Gabriel, who played for Concord football club in Abeokuta, said “No, I’m not pleased with the situation now because a lot of people have passed through this stadium.

“It is an eyesore, honestly this field is not supposed to be like this. It is where so many national team players passed through this place, it is so very sad that we are seeing this stadium like this and it is not encouraging and we also want to give back to the society.”

Muda Lawal’s Family Laments

Our correspondent equally visited Lawal’s burial at his family house in Abeokuta. It was observed that his burial site was just renovated in July as part of the activities marking the 29th death anniversary of the Nigerian football legend.

The late footballer’s grave was abandoned for close to two decades before members of the All-Stars came to the rescue.

The late footballer’s family praised the All-Stars for renovating the burial site, but knocked the state government for what they called neglect and failed promises.

Lawal’s uncle, Azeez Fasina noted that successive governments had promised to build a Museum in Lawal’s memory and name a road after him, all these have failed to see the light of the day.

“He (Lawal) paid his dues and contributed to sports development in the State and Nigeria. He deserved to be honored adequately. Unfortunately, what we see is failed promises. We hope one day all these promises will be fulfilled,” he said.

Previous administration blamed

Speaking with our correspondent, the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Communications, Remmy Hazzan blamed the neglect on previous administration.

“What we have is a situation where each government have his own preference on what it will major on and that approach of preferring one aspect of infrastructure over others led to a kind of unacceptable neglect of some, that is why we have a kind of neglect in the health sector, a kind of neglect in the educational sector, especially the elementary and secondary level, also a kind of neglect in the sports sector as you mentioned it.

“The previous administration gave a concentration on the sport sector that gave a kind of surge on sport facilities in the state where you have the Gateway Stadium in Ilaro, Sagamu, the Otunba Dipo Dina stadium in Ijebu Ode and a major touch on the MKO Abiola stadium. That was a build-up to the gateway games in 2006, a major resurgence in our infrastructure for sports.

“But thereafter, there was noticeable neglect for sporting infrastructure and the Muda Lawal stadium happen to be one of such. Even the gateway stadiums built, a good number of them were not attended to.”

Hazzan, however, promised the government’s readiness to fix the stadium. He noted that the planned establishment of the Sports Commission would tackle any challenges in the sports sector.

“The answer to that neglect is what the new commission, when set up fully will address and that is because this administration seeks to put a lot of attention on our sports development including sports generally because it is one of the ways that we can take our teeming unemployed youths engaged because sports is big business all over and Ogun state will not be left out,” he said.