White Lily Schools holds colourful inter-house sports competition in Lagos
White Lily Schools on Monday held a colourful and well-attended Inter-House Sports Track and Field Competition at the Agege Stadium, Lagos, bringing together pupils, parents, teachers and invited guests in
- By Igbang Juliet Ikedie
White Lily Schools on Monday held a colourful and well-attended Inter-House Sports Track and Field Competition at the Agege Stadium, Lagos, bringing together pupils, parents, teachers and invited guests in a celebration of sportsmanship, teamwork and physical fitness.
The event featured four competing houses—Miragold, Lavender, Blossom and Peony—and attracted a large crowd of parents and supporters, who filled the stadium with excitement and positive energy..
In his welcome address, the Director of White Lily Schools, James Ademuyiwa, expressed gratitude to God and welcomed dignitaries, parents and students to the sporting event.
He described the inter-house sports competition as an important part of the school’s philosophy of raising the “total child,” noting that education should go beyond the classroom to include character building, teamwork and physical fitness.
According to him, sporting competitions help students develop discipline, leadership, resilience and integrity, qualities that will help them succeed in life.
Rev. Ademuyiwa also appreciated parents for their continued support of the school and encouraged pupils to compete with the spirit of fairness and sportsmanship, reminding them that participation itself is a form of victory.
Following the welcome address, Oluremi Olutimo officially declared the competition open after lighting the ceremonial torch.
He commended the school management for organising what he described as a remarkable sporting event and thanked parents for their support.
Read Also: NRC rolls out special Sallah train services nationwide
“Today is about more than just winning medals; it is about building camaraderie, teamwork and resilience,” he said, urging participants to compete with discipline and fair play.
Awards were later presented by Coach Steven U.S. of Legends Esu-Sports to Prof. Olutimo and Rev. Ademuyiwa in recognition of their contributions to youth development through sports.
The ceremony also featured colourful performances including a cheerleading display by the school’s calisthenics team and an energetic Zulu cultural dance that thrilled the audience.
The pupils from the four houses later took part in a vibrant march past, appearing in colourful Nigerian traditional attires alongside their royal entourages.
A spoken word presentation by Princess Ayide and Deborah Oladapo highlighted themes of culture and unity in diversity, drawing applause from spectators.
Parents and staff members also participated in special march past displays, adding to the excitement of the ceremony.
After the ceremonial activities, the sporting competitions commenced with several track and field events for different age categories.
In the 15-metre Tiny Tots race, Lavender House won the boys’ category while Miragold House took the girls’ category. Miragold House also won the boys’ 25-metre Tots race, while Peony House secured victory in the girls’ category.
Lavender House dominated the 50-metre race for both boys and girls, while Peony House won the boys’ and girls’ categories of the 75-metre race.
In the 100-metre junior race, Lavender House won the boys’ category. Peony House emerged winner in the girls’ category. Blossom House won the girls’ 100-metre senior race, while Miragold House clinched victory in the boys’ category.
Other events included relay races, novelty competitions such as sack race, egg-and-spoon race, slippers race, balloon bursting, fill-the-basket and bottle-filling contests. Indoor games such as ludo, scrabble, chess and table tennis were also part of the activities.
Speaking with journalists after the event, Rev. Ademuyiwa emphasised the importance of sports in the overall development of students.
“Sports is very important because health is wealth. For education to make meaningful sense, it must be done in good health, and sports help promote the physical and mental wellbeing of students,” he said.
He also expressed delight at the massive turnout of parents and supporters at the event.
“Even though we prepared well, we did not expect such a large turnout. Seeing parents come out in their numbers to support their children is very encouraging,” he added.
The school’s principal, Judith Nkiruka Nduka, described the event as exciting and commended the students for their performances.
“My children have done great. I am very impressed with their energy and enthusiasm,” she said.
