Connect with us

Sports

NAT’L STADIUM: Night life fun at a sports arena

Published

on

Unlike most sports facilities in the state, the National Stadium, Surulere is as busy during night hours as it is in day time. While it serves its original purpose as a hub for various sporting activities during the day, it has become one special relaxation spot for Lagosians living on the mainland.

For a non-curious passer-by plying the Funsho Williams Avenue by night, the Stadium is nothing near alive from about 7:30p.m as the entire facility is engulfed in utter darkness.

A curious sojourner, however, would notice the countless number of cars driving into the facility and may be tempted to find out what in the world happens in a supposed sports complex at night – when there is no national or continental competition going on.

“I live here in Surulere. I drive through this route when I’m returning from work. Long before now, I always see cars trooping into the stadium in the evenings like this. I had wondered if there’s a Church or some Town meeting holding regularly in here,” Mr. Chidiebere, who was driving in at the time with a Lexus ride, told Ripples Nigeria correspondent.

“It was out of curiosity that I decided to join the wagon one fateful night to have a first-hand experience,” he added.

The well-illuminated Funso Williams Avenue (formerly Western Avenue) gives the front of the complex a beautiful look, even as works are currently on-going under the Stadium Bridge – with paintings and casted sculptures depicting various kinds of sports in the country.

Toll Collectors At The Main Gate
One would have thought that the collection of entrance/parking fee from vehicles driving into the sports complex will be a day time thing, but no; the toll collectors are actually way more active at night.

Standing by the right side of the main entrance of the stadium, this group of non-uniformed men give out printed tickets to every vehicle that drives into the facility. No car is given access by the security personnel mounted just few steps further without a ticket

“We work for the Stadium management,” one of the ticketers, who was more interested in selling out her tickets, hurriedly said.

When asked what time the gate closes, she said, “Formerly, we close by 8:00p.m, later, it was taken to 10:00p.m; but now, we close 12:00 midnight.”

One can confidently deduce from her assertion that the Surulere Stadium is increasingly becoming one of the top nightlife centres in Lagos mainland, as the number of visitors are said to triple even on weekends.

Highly-patronized Restaurants and Bars
Just to the right, a few meters from the main gate, there is the first bar. And right under the amphitheatre of the main bowl lies another restaurant and bar that gets more patronage. At the back of the stadium is also one ‘native’ kitchen, where only special Nigerian dishes are served, and almost adjacent that, inside the Boxing Federation complex, is the Old School lounge with the highest number of patrons.

There are Sharwama stands, Suya stands and active kitchens where meals are freshly prepared. The likes of Catfish, Crocker fish, Isi-ewu (goat head), Afang soup, Semo, Wheat food, Fufu, White soup, Jollof rice etc, are dishes readily available.

These relaxation spots are open on a daily basis. They are well-staffed and have on menu any food or drink that one can think of, especially those peculiar to Nigeria. They all have large screens on which they project live football matches for their customers, and Lagosians from various walks of life come in to escape from the characteristic hustle and bustle of the big city.

One of the customers, who simply identified himself as Mr. Tomiwa, said it’s the best relaxation spot for him. That he has studied the atmosphere of the complex and seen that it’s a perfect location for after-work leisure.

“This is an open space as you can see,” he stated.

“I come here always to relax. I stay around here (Surulere), it’s just a cool place away from home. Sometimes, I come to watch Premier League matches on this giant screens, other times, to eat nkwobi (a typical Nigerian dish prepared with Goat head), to drink, and simply relax – that’s what I do majorly.”

Tomiwa, who refused to tell his second name, was sitting at an open decked roof at the Old School lounge, went ahead to mention why he prefers the lounge to the other spots in the complex.

“I like where I am [sitting], because I can see everywhere from here,” he continued. “The prices of food and drink in this place are moderate. I used to go to that bar at the front before I noticed a lot of cars coming in here, and followed. Here is peaceful.

“Again, if you listen to the music they’re playing, you will appreciate why they named this place ‘Old School’. Both the music and how the staffs act and relate to customers just depict their name,” he concluded.

Although these spots are open for service on weekdays, they experience more patronage on weekends, beginning from Friday night. Some of the restaurants, in adding up spice, bring in live bands and stand-up comedians to perform. While entertaining the guests, they take special requests from them during the show and celebrate especially those who are having their birthdays.

“It’s always fun here on Fridays,” a lady was heard telling the occupant of a seat near hers on the same table.

With the open landmass, parking spaces are never a problem. And should anyone want a place to lodge for the night, there’s a provision for executive chalets at the Boxing Federation complex within the stadium.

Security Concerns
Like in almost every other settlement in highly populated cities like Lagos, the night is not complete without cases of theft and robbery at the Stadium.

Right from the gate, pedestrians are allowed to walk in and out freely without any form of security check, as there may not be enough manpower to handle such, seeing the number of persons who go in and out to use the facility all day.

The boulevard leading to the main bowl can be so dark that a person with some kind of eye defection would have hit their foot against stones many times before reaching their destination.

This is actually the situation around the facility, as all the erected solar-powered lamps are in bad conditions. And idle folks have overtime taken advantage of this to wreck havoc in the stadium.

“Usually, this place is not a safe zone, especially if you are holding an expensive phone or wearing gold or silver jewellery,” said Foluke Shodeinde, a disabled athlete, who was just hanging out with her teammate and friend, Joyce, after the day’s training.

“It is even more dangerous for women. Anything can happen. But for a man like you, there’s really nothing to be scared of.

“And apart from robbing individuals, those thieves have succeeded in lifting all the Air Conditioners in those offices up there (point to the offices). Sometimes, they break into certain rooms and make away with valuables.”

Perhaps as typical Nigerians, the stadium management made no attempt of fighting the menace earlier. They waited until most fittings were vandalised before beefing up their security strategies.

“But the stealing has reduced since the last one year. Security people are now plenty. They go round the stadium and chase idle persons out when it’s getting dark like this,” Foluke added.

The Restaurants Pay For Their Own Security
A completely-suited security personnel, who identified himself as Ezenna, whose duty is to secure cars in one of the bars situated at the side of the main bowl, said: “In this place, they used to steal cars. But when the stadium management got the information that such things happen, they employed more hands.

“Some ‘touts’ come here and stay from morning till night. We don’t know who is who. Some people come for sports and some for other things.

When asked if he was part of the stadium security, he said, “no, I work for this bar. Me and my colleagues are paid to look after the cars of our customers only.”

A worker in one of the bars spoke on how much they value the lives and properties of their guests, as they put great effort into security. According to him, their bar is one of the safest places on the mainland

“As I’m talking to you now, there are over six Policemen who are securing this place,” he said. “And that’s what gives our customers the impression that they can stay here till daybreak.

“As far as security is concerned, this is one of the safest places on Lagos mainland,” he boasted.

Meanwhile, the National Institute for Sports (NIS) complex, where students of the institute are housed, and the Tennis Courts, where Maryland Tennis club members come very often to play, seem to be the only places with less activity in the complex during night hours. Activities in these places are simply on a low key.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now