Sports businesses were quick to resume their normal businesses following the postponement of the presidential election scheduled to hold on Saturday February 16, 2019 in Nigeria.
The National Stadium at Surulere in Lagos which was locked by 12 midnight on Friday 15th February and was expected to be opened on Sunday Morning after the elections was flung open by 6:07am on Saturday for normal business to continue.
The premature opening of the stadium paved way for businesses that were not expected to operate due to the scheduled election re-opened and as at press time, businesses such as VCN Sports, CEE Jay Sports, SOS Sports amongst others became active inside the stadium.
For occupants and business owners inside the National Stadium in Surulere Lagos, returning for business following the postponement of the election was an opportunity to make up for the one-week closure which they suffered ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Lagos.
In the streets of Lagos around Surulere, Sports Betting houses such as Bet9ja and others resumed for businesses on slightest phone call by the various managers of these business. One cashier in a betting shop in Lagos said: “My boss called me to say I should report to work, we need to move on since the election was cancelled”. she quoted her boss.
In Lagos the popular street soccer called “sets” which seemed to be a long-term tradition was quick to come back as young boys trouped to their various locations to continue with the game of football which is usually played on the streets and other crannies on Saturdays.
A young teenager who came to play set but simply identified himself as Wale, spoke with our correspondent about the postponement of the election and said “It was sad that the elections was postponed, but we have to move on and that is why I have come to enjoy myself by playing set”.
The election has been moved by one week to Saturday February 23, 2019, with INEC siting logistics problems amongst other issues as reasons for the postponement.
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