Festival of Colours at Customs Zone A Inter-Commands Games

… CGC Seeks Improved Sports Facilities, Discipline, and Teamwork for Success

The closing ceremony of the Nigeria Customs Zone A Inter-Commands Games, held on Saturday at the Customs Training School, Ikeja, was a spectacle of pomp and pageantry.

It truly lived up to its billing as a festival of colours, with contingents from various commands dazzling in vibrant attires during the match-past and fashion parade that preceded the final football match. From Apapa Command, which led the parade, to KLT, LFTZ, Lilypond, Murtala Muhammed Airport & International, PTML, Tincan, Ogun I, Ogun II, Oyo/Osun, Seme, and others, each contingent’s costumes added flair and brilliance to the ceremony.

In his address, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized the need for improved sporting infrastructure across Customs formations, noting that adequate facilities are vital to nurturing the sporting talents of officers. He commended the Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, ACG Muhammed Bapandede, the Organising Committee Chairman, Chidi, and their team for the colourful and impressive execution of the competition.

Dr. Adeniyi described the large turnout of guests, vehicles, and participants as proof of the growing interest in sports within the Service. He highlighted that the competition reflected the three pillars of his administration — consolidation, collaboration, and innovation. He also praised sister security agencies, including the NDLEA, for their participation, calling it a demonstration of inter-agency partnership in national security responsibilities.

However, the CGC expressed concern over the state of sporting facilities at the Customs Training College, recalling that they had remained largely unchanged since his own training there over 30 years ago. He stressed that this was unacceptable for a Service that has contributed significantly to sports development in Nigeria. He revealed that Customs is already building an ultra-modern sports facility in one of its barracks in Kano and promised that a befitting facility would be included in the proposed new Customs Training College.

Adeniyi further clarified that the Zone A competition was not an inaugural event, noting that similar zonal games had been held in Kano and other locations in the past. He urged all zones to revive inter-zonal competitions once their respective games have been concluded.

Beyond sports, the CGC underscored the lessons of discipline, teamwork, and strategy, urging officers to apply these principles to their professional duties. He noted that just as success in sports requires coordination and clear strategies, Customs operations and revenue generation demand the same qualities.

He congratulated the winners, encouraged those who lost to prepare for future contests, and charged all officers to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship and teamwork in the discharge of their responsibilities.