Boma Achenimie 
The Showtime Arena in Lekki was electrified during Week 3 of the Showtime Summer Series, not just by the intense flag football action but by a surprise visit from Hon. Damilare Orimoloye, the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Sports.
New Telegraph reports that Orimoloye was visibly impressed by what he witnessed, describing the event as more than just sport, but a powerful youth-driven movement.
“I am wowed,” he said. “I’ve been hearing about this game, seen a few clips online, but watching it live? This is beyond sports—this is a movement.”
The Showtime Summer Series, hosted by the Nigeria Flag Football Federation (NFFF), is fast becoming a flagship sporting event, showcasing the fastest-growing coed sport in the country.
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The arena buzzed with energy as fans roared and players dazzled, offering a vibrant glimpse into the future of flag football in Nigeria.
Orimoloye linked the growth of the sport to the broader vision of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, which promotes youth engagement, grassroots development, and using sports as a tool for unity.
“This is exactly what His Excellency Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been preaching,” he said. “I salute the founder and president of this movement, Azeez Amida. The organization, the vibe, the structure—this is something Lagos State is ready to support.”
He also hailed the recent endorsement of the Nigeria Flag Football Federation by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), describing it as a “turning point” for the sport in the country.
“This may be a new sport to some, but with what I’ve seen—the attraction, the youth engagement—it’s bigger than we imagined. I dare say it has the potential to engage more young Nigerians than even football currently does,” Orimoloye said.
He concluded his visit by pledging to push for the expansion of the sport into more communities across Lagos.
“In my position, I will work to ensure this movement reaches the grassroots. Lagos is ready for flag football.”
His visit marks a significant endorsement for Showtime Flag Football, Africa’s largest professional coed flag football league, and reaffirms the sport’s growing role in youth empowerment, entertainment, and community development in Nigeria.
