It was more than just touchdowns and tackles at Week 3 of the Showtime Summer Series, held under the Nigeria Flag Football Federation — it was a landmark moment for the sport in Nigeria, as Honorable Damilare Orimoloye, the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Sports, paid a surprise visit to the Showtime Arena, Lekki, and was left speechless by what he witnessed.
“I am wowed,” Damilare Orimoloye said, clearly impressed. “I’ve been hearing about this game, seen a few clips online, but watching it live? This is beyond sports—this is a movement.”
The atmosphere was electric, with fans cheering, players putting on a show, and the energy unmistakable. As the fastest-growing coed sport in the country, flag football is clearly catching on — and Lagos State has taken notice.
“This is exactly what His Excellency Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been preaching — youth engagement, grassroots development, and sports as a unifier.
I salute the founder and the president of this movement, The President of the Nigeria Flag Football Federation and founder of Showtime Flag Football, Azeez Amida. The organization, the vibe, the structure—this is something Lagos State is ready to support,” he added.
Damilare also praised the endorsement of the Nigeria Flag Football Federation (NFFF) by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), calling it a turning point in the sport’s journey in Nigeria.
“This may be a new sport to some, but with what I’ve seen, the attraction, the youth engagement—it’s bigger than we imagined. I dare say it has the potential to engage more young Nigerians than even football currently does.”
He concluded by pledging his support to take the game to even more communities:
“In my position, I will work to ensure this movement reaches the grassroots. Lagos is ready for flag football.
The visit by Honourable Damilare Orimoloye is a major nod to the rising influence of Showtime Flag Football, Africa’s largest professional coed flag football league, and reaffirms the sport’s growing role in youth development, entertainment, and community building in Nigeria.
