Ambode Receives Cricket World Cup in Lagos

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Tuesday received the 2019 Cricket World Cup trophy of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in the state.

The trophy, which has been on a global tour of cities ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup which would hold at the United Kingdom in June, arrived Nigeria through Abuja on February 11, before being received in Lagos by the executive governor today in the state house at Alausa, Ikeja.

“I think a lot of people don’t understand cricket deeply because it has a lot of values that can be learnt from it. As a former Cricketer, which I played way back in secondary school, I appreciate the game and I look forward to seeing more young people learn from the game” he said.

Mr Ambode said he is very pleased that the International Cricket Council has chosen Lagos as the only state apart from the Federal Capital that hosted the Cricket most prized Silverware in the country.

“It is indeed an honour to be the only Governor to host the Trophy in the country,” he said.

The president of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Yahaya Ukwenya, had earlier in his opening remarks referred to the state as the “Cricket Capital” of Nigeria. He highlighted that the support from the state is one of the reasons that earned the federation the commendations that encouraged the international body to select Nigeria as one of the three destination countries for the Trophy Tour on the continent.

“We are indeed very grateful for the support that Lagos State has extended to the federation and it is one of the reasons we are enjoying this rare privilege of hosting the trophy,” he said.

The trophy would be at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval on Lagos Island on Wednesday where sports enthusiasts and cricket communities would have the opportunity of seeing the trophy and taking pictures with it.