Vice President Sambo hoists National Sports Festival flag

Vice President Namadi Sambo (middle) shakes hands with Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola during the flag hoisting ceremony of the EKO 2012 National Sports Festival at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Saturday while deputy governor of Lagos State, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (left) and National Sports Commission (NSC) Director-General, Patrick Ekeji (right) look on.

Vice President Namadi Sambo on Saturday in Lagos, hoisted the national flag in readiness for this year's edition of the national sports festival tagged Eko 2012. 

Sambo, who arrived at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, venue of the significant pre-Games event aboard a helicopter, was representing President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he noted was unavoidably absent due to 'the exigencies of his office'.

While delivering a speech at the event, Sambo noted that the hoisting of flags for the sports fiesta was a significant event in the country because of the unity that it portrays. He also expressed the Federal Government's readiness to always support the Games.

"The innovation is commendable. It is one of the innovation that signifies the commencement of the festival. It will help to create awareness and mobilise support for the festival. This is also a sign that the Federal Government is in support of the Festival and that the Festival is meeting its objectives," he said. Also speaking at the event, Lagos State governor Babatunde Raji Fashola and his deputy, Joke Orelope-Adefulire equally noted that the significance of the programme was in its unifying factor for the country.

"All the flags here are significant because they bring colourfulness to the event. I wonder how it would look like were if it to be that we were hoisting only one flag today.

"I remember that about 43 days ago I was in Abuja to in receiving the torch from the last host Rivers State government to signify the commencement of the formalities of the official hosting of the game. Today is another bold step towards the formal opening," Fashola said.

"The hoisting of the flag represents the unity of our country," Orelope-Adefulire added.

While National Sports Commission (NSC) Director General, Patrick Ekeji, who was also at the event, noted that the flag hoisting that is holding for the second time in the history of the Games also indicated that improvements were being made to the national sports fiesta.

Sambo hoisted the national flag while Fashola hoisted Lagos State's and Orelope-Adefulire hoisted the Games flag. Representatives of other states hoisted their's respectively.