LEAGA Positions Sport as Bridge for Nigeria’s Creative Industry

Posted : 15 September 2026

The maiden Lagos Entertainment Association Games and Awards (LEAGA) is set to bring together hundreds of professionals from Nigeria’s creative industry for a five-day sporting and networking festival.

The event, organised by Studio 18 Hub and Francos Group, is scheduled to take place from Sept. 22 to 26 across three venues in Lagos: Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Studio 18 Hub in Gbagada, and Rowe Park, Yaba.

The organisers disclosed this on Tuesday at a media briefing held at Studio 18 Hub, No. 18 Adeola Raji St., Atunrase Estate, Gbagada, Lagos.

With the theme, “Celebrating Creativity, Wellness, Collaboration and Economic Growth through Sportstainment,” the event is expected to attract about 463 participants from 13 creative industry groups.

The participating organisations include the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Q Dance Group, Guild of Nigerian Dancers (GOND), Verdant Zeal, National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Deejays Association of Nigeria (DJAN), Pulse Nigeria and Gospel Musicians Association of Nigeria (GOMAN).

Others are Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria (FUMAN), Brilla Media, Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Citizen Voice and Star/MiTV-Plus Media.

Co-convener Muyiwa Osinaike said the festival was designed to create an avenue for professionals who ordinarily operate in separate areas of the creative industry to meet, compete and build relationships through sport.

He said the organisers were looking beyond the maiden Nigerian edition, with plans to transform LEAGA into an international event within the next five years.

“I think in the next five years, we will be having it on the international scene, but we will do the first one in Nigeria and take the next one to either Kenya, South Africa or Morocco,” he said.

His co-convener, Femi Oladeinde, said LEAGA was conceived to promote friendship, bonding and healthy interaction among stakeholders in entertainment, arts, culture and the wider creative economy.

“LEAGA desires to promote friendship and bonding through recreational and sporting activities,” he said.

Oladeinde said the initiative had received the support of the Lagos State Government and other stakeholders in the sports sector.

“We are in collaboration with the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Sports Commission because it is a convergence of players in the creative and entertainment sectors.

“LEAGA is tagged the Olympics of the entertainment and creative sector in Nigeria and is a five-day sports festival to be filled with fun, networking, wellness, business and a lifestyle blend of sports and entertainment,” he said.

Veteran Nollywood actress Ronnie Dikko-Kila described the event as an opportunity for creative professionals to step outside their normal routines and reconnect with colleagues.

“This is a programme I am very happy to be associated with because we in the creative industry do not have much time to have a full house where we gather to network.

“Members of the creative industry may not even be able to have close contact with themselves for many years, in spite of the fact that we stay in the same state.

“We, as actors and actresses, are ready to give our all to come and show our skills,” she said.

Chairman of the AGN, Lagos State chapter, Mary Edwards, said the guild was ready to participate actively in the festival, describing sport as an effective tool for strengthening social bonds.

“When the organisers first came to us, we all embraced it because if you look at the Actors Guild, we are basically acting, and that is all, although we have a joggers club, which we do every Saturday.

“I am a firm believer that sports can play a greater role in our social life, so we are looking forward to these games as an avenue for more bonding among our members,” she said.

One of the major sponsors, Mutual Aids Specialist (MAIDS), represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Adetola Adegbayi, pledged continued support for the initiative.

“We are all out to support these games and that is why we are here. We want to show Nigerians the kind of support we have been providing.

“We will provide the necessary support needed to facilitate the smooth running of the games,” she said.

Other sponsors and partners include Drugstoc Ehub Ltd., partners of Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co. Inc., makers of Salonpas and Pocari Sweat, as well as Hazzat Homes.

Chairman of the Main Organising Committee (MOC), Ola Okunnu, assured participants that adequate arrangements had been made for the smooth conduct of the festival.

“All the logistics are intact, and these games, being the maiden edition, will be a pilot that will set the standard for subsequent editions.

“We have all the logistics essential for smooth sailing intact. We have ambulances ready, although we do not pray for any emergency, but we need to be ready,” he said.

Okunnu said the choice of the three venues was based on the quality of infrastructure available, adding that participants were expected to enjoy a relaxed sporting environment rather than an overly competitive atmosphere.

“We just want the participants to come and play the games, have fun and enjoy themselves, devoid of too much competitiveness. It will be in a relaxed environment,” he said.

The competition will feature football in the male and female categories, basketball, table tennis, tennis, ludo, draughts, arm wrestling, ayo, sack race, 100 metres in the male and female categories, 200 metres for men, mixed 4x100 metres relay, tug of war and snooker.

The draws for the competition were conducted by Okunnu and other members of the MOC.

LEAGA ambassadors include veteran Nollywood actor Segun Arinze, Fuji musician Abass Akande, popularly known as Obesere, and Qudus Onikeku, CEO and Centre Director of the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in Lagos, among others.

Media organisations represented at the briefing included Brilla Media, Complete Sports, Starplus and MiTV.

LEAGA Positions Sport as Bridge for Nigeria’s Creative Industry

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics