WHEN the National Stadium was built in 1972, it had a capacity for 55,000 people. This was reduced to 45,000 in 1999. The record attendance of 85,000 was taken in the final match of the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations between Nigeria and Algeria. It also hosted the final of the 2000 Nations Cup between Nigeria and Cameroun, as well as Nigeria's World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers.


Aside football, the stadium was the Mecca for boxing in Africa and hosted several world title bouts in its heydays. But all that seems a distant memory. Most children born in the late 1990s do not know that the Sportscity was once the pride of Africa, which hosted some of the world's biggest events. Now, the National Stadium is "one giant carcass" occupying prime position in the map of Lagos.


For inexplicable reasons, it has been left to rot away, with many parts of the edifice carved out and leased to hoteliers, sportswear merchants, churches and sundry other businesses. The rot began gradually shortly after Nigeria co-hosted the 2000 Nations Cup with Ghana. It was partially rehabilitated on the eve of the 2003 All Africa Games to host the women football event of the competition, but since 2004, it has not hosted any international match.


Aside the indoor sports hall rehabilitated by the Nigeria Basketball Federation for the DSTV League games, no part of the Sportscity is good enough to host any local or international event. Rather, the stadium is now a choice venue for religious gatherings and community meetings, as well as home to displaced individuals, while the main entrance to the main bowl is a drinking bar.
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Guy abeg o. Just leave it as it is. Abi you want them to spend another N350m to renovate the pitch alone just as they did to the abuja stadium? Even after spending that much money sef, Keshi still complained about the quality of the job done. So please don't remind them that there's an avenue for them to steal more money here.

Moral decadence cuts across all sectors.Nigeria is morally decayed and backwardness seems to have become norms.

Why is it that nothing seems to be working in this country inspite of the bogus amount of money being expended on building new projects and maintaining existing ones? Is this country cursed?

The people incharge rob themselves.They steal from themselves like the general nigerian populace do at whatever level they are operating on.

Everybody wants to get something for nothing in nigeria.Miracle

There has been a deliberate policy by the federal government to run down Lagos.
Every single infrastructure many of which were either confiscated from the western regional government , handed down by the colonials or built when Lagos was the capital have been left to rot.
We all know what 1004,national secretariat used to look like before they were sold.we all know what festac town looks like.
The federal government should as a matter of urgency handover the stadium to the Lagos state government

bloggernaija: There has been a deliberate policy by the federal government to run down Lagos.
Every single infrastructure many of which were either confiscated from the western regional government , handed down by the colonials or built when Lagos was the capital have been left to rot.
We all know what 1004,national secretariat used to look like before they were sold.we all know what festac town looks like.
The federal government should as a matter of urgency handover the stadium to the Lagos state government

That has been my opinion too. The LASG could in turn, totally demolish the mainbowl and construct a world class 45,000 - 50,000 football-specific arena. This arena could be used in bidding to host either a world cup or nations cup. The Teslim Balogun stadium could then be solely used for track and field.

Nigeria Maintenance culture = F9

I have one question how come Lagos don't have any big team that is playing in the NPL? You would it should beat least two rival teams in Lagos city alone.

Nigerians have given it to Yorubas, nice gift.