The Comptroller of the Western Marine Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Ibafo, Coconut, Apapa, Lagos, Comptroller Patrick Ntadi, on Wednesday this week did a test run of the Wale Adeniyi Sports Arena (WASA) situated at the coconut under-bridge, directly in front of the coconut jetty.The WASA has a 5-Aside football synthetic pitch and a basketball turf also of synthetic are adjacent with a demarcated space for spectators, fans, supporters and players of both sports.The coconut under-bridge had existed under several Comptrollers in the past, although some of them had tried to bring sanity to the place once known for notoriety, drug peddling, criminality, snuggling outlet, prostitution and a base for orchins carry out their vices; even though, most times legitimate businesses still thrive there by Marine Engineers, sailors, and Maritme Contractors who troop in there from all parts of the litoral states of Nigeria for marine jobs and contracts. The Coconut under-bridge was also known and called “The Millionaire Bridge” as at the time it boomed.Today, Comptroller Ntadi has changed all that space of crime story into a modern facility of recreation and leisure and sports business. No doubt, the Delta State born Customs chief of the Western Marine Command is a lover of aesthetics and beauty, whose vision for transformation and modernization cannot be overemphasized. Indeed, he came, saw and conquered. Comptroller Ntadi has indeed succeeded where others couldn’t achieve and has written his name in the annals of history, having successfully put in a sports facility in a place where others couldn’t access to remove the same street orchins, hoodlums and miscreants from and by extension has transformed them into team leaders, and leaders of tomorrow via sports.The Comptroller has redesigned the former coconut under-bridge to a ground where football and basketball activities thrive and scouts can now come to hunt for talents for greener pastures and to better the lives of these young but talented Nigerians, who have been moved from all the nook and crannies of the country; and to ensure the society will remain a better place of habitat.
After the match between Team Maritme of the Maritme Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and The Western Marine Command side, which ended 5-5 at the end time, Comptroller Ntadi was filled with satisfaction and joy, praising both teams for wonderful display of skills and precision shots taken at goal by both sides; saying that this is just the beginning of what the command has tagged “Customs Care”. He also said that the WASA will be officially open in due course.
