By Emmanuel Daniji

After a five-year break, the streets of Ikorodu are set to come alive again with young athletes as the Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi Independence Day Mini Marathon returns on October 1, 2026.

The seventh edition of the 10-kilometre race is expected to bring hundreds of secondary school students from across Ikorodu Division together as part of activities marking Nigeria’s Independence Day.

The competition was officially unveiled on September 17 at the Conference Hall of the Ayangburen Palace, Ikorodu, with traditional rulers, community leaders, sports stakeholders and organisers in attendance.

The marathon was initiated in 2016 by former Lagos State House of Assembly member Hon. S.O.B. Agunbiade as a way of celebrating Independence Day through sports and encouraging young athletes in public and private secondary schools across the division.

It was renamed in 2017 after the Ayangburen of Ikorodu Kingdom, Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, in recognition of his support for youth and sports development.

For its first six editions, the competition was organised by the Onward Movement of Nigeria and sponsored by Agunbiade. This year’s edition is being jointly organised by the Onward Movement and the Ikorodu Oga Development Association (IKODASS).

For many of the young athletes taking part, the event is more than a race. It provides an opportunity to compete, gain exposure and potentially take the first step towards a sporting career.

Organisers said some athletes who participated in previous editions have gone on to compete at local, state, national and international levels. Schools that have featured prominently over the years include Oriwu College, Shamsudeen Grammar School, Ikorodu Grammar School and Imota Community Grammar School.

At the unveiling, Oba Shotobi called for continued support for the competition and urged individuals, businesses and organisations to contribute to its sustainability. The monarch also stressed the importance of identifying and nurturing young sporting talents from an early age.

The chairman of the organising committee, Akeem Bello, said the marathon was created to promote healthy living, talent discovery, youth development, community unity and sports tourism.

The organisers have also appealed to secondary school administrators across Ikorodu Division to nominate their best athletes for the competition.

The 2026 race will begin at the Ayangburen Palace by 7:00 a.m. on October 1 and finish at Ikorodu Town Hall.

The route will pass through Suberu Ogunsanya Street, Bankoko Olowu Street, Etunrenren Street, Sunday Adebari Street, Wahab Balogun Street, Ikorodu Road, Ikorodu Roundabout, Shagamu Road, Itokin Road, Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Kokoro Abu, Obafemi Awolowo Road, Oriwu Road, Gbasomo Street, Pasoku Street, Oba Sekumade Road and Olubi Street before the finish.

Ahead of the race, shortlisted athletes are scheduled for medical screening from September 23 to 25, while the final list of medically cleared participants is expected on September 28. A familiarisation exercise along the race route will hold on September 29 at 4:00 p.m.

The return of the marathon has also revived conversations about Ikorodu’s sporting heritage.

Prince Olukoga Akeem, a former member of the Sports Commission, recalled the division’s sporting activities in the 1980s, when athletes from Ikorodu represented Lagos State in sports including swimming and hockey.

He called for more investment, sponsorship and structured sports development programmes across the division.

The organisers said the 2026 marathon is expected to provide another platform for young athletes to discover their abilities while bringing communities together in celebration of Nigeria’s Independence Day.

For Ikorodu’s young runners, October 1 will therefore be more than another Independence Day celebration. It will be a chance to run through their community, compete with their peers and, for some, perhaps begin a journey that could take them far beyond Ikorodu.