Pentaville Schools chairman preaches peace during inter-sports competition in Lagos

By Precious Udom

PRINCE BEN UKADIKE, chairman of Pentaville Schools, Santos Layout, Akowonjo, Lagos, south-west Nigeria was at his best on Friday. It was the 1^st Bi-enniel inter-house sports completion of the schools, held at Santos Field, Lewis Street, Santos Layout, Lagos.

Speaking, while welcoming participants and guests at the event, Ukadike wondered why top politicians in Nigeria were busy making inciting and provocative statements, weeks before the elections.

His words: Politicians in the country are brothers and sisters from one God and should therefore emulate the lives of children, who through sports bring about unity and peace the world over.

Boys and girls from the schools  competed for 400m dash at junior and senior levels, 25m tiny tots, 100m dash, picking the balls, filling the bottles with water, catching the train, egg race as well as 4 by 100m school relay race.

These children competed under Obafemi Awolowo (Blue), Nnamdi Azikiwe (Red), Omotayo Ukadike (Yellow) and Queen Amina (Green) houses.

Under the chairmanship of Ademola Hastrup, chairman of Santos Residential Association, the event was filled with fun, laughter and dances.

Sponsored by Nestle Food of Nigeria Plc, Coca Cola bottling company, Diamond Bank of Nigeria Plc and Unilever Plc among others, some neighboring schools around Santos, invited by Pentaville Schools, took part in the invitational schools relay.

Some of the invited schools were: Greewich Schools, Elkanah Schools, First Step Schools, Nilton Heritage Schools, Philomena Schools, Word of Power Schools and St Michael Schools.

Refreshingly, at the end of the event, Yellow House came 1^st with 9 gold medals, 6 silver medals and 1 bronze medal; Green House ,came 2^nd, Red House, 3^rd and Blue House, 4^th.

Mrs Omotayo Ukadike, director of the schools and wife of the chairman thanked all the children for participating in all the events in the true spirit of sportsmanship, the parents for their supports to her schools, corporate bodies for their supports, journalists for covering the events, as well officials and members of Santos Residential Association for coming out enmass to attend the event.

Chief Gabriel Kola Osinoiki, former chairman of the association told our correspondent that he was appreciative of the fact that the children from all the schools that participated in the sporting events did so with open display of love and laughter.