National Sports Commission liaison officer, Tayo Oreweme and the stadium manager, Abolore Alanamu at National Stadium Surulere, Lagos are in hot waters following the mowing down of the trees at the abandoned sports complex.

Contrary to claims by Mrs. Oreweme that she had authority to cut down the almond trees at the west end of the stadium, it emerged that there were no directives from the National Sports Commission for the Stadium to be deflowered.

Mrs. Oreweme had claimed that she put down the trees, because they obstructed the view of the CCTV cameras installed at the complex even as they seem not to be in working order.

Hacking away… One of the trees being sliced by a hired hand at the National Stadium in Lagos.

“There was no authorization for Mrs. Orewame to alter the look of the (Lagos) National Stadium. The NSC director  of  facilities  is

investigating the matter. And he will come out with his findings and appropriate response. The stadium manager was summoned to Abuja on Thursday to state why he couldn’t stop Oreweme since maintenance of the Stadium is under his jurisdiction,” said Julius Ogunro special assistant to the sports minister.

Without the trees the stadium presently could be likened to a beautiful woman who had her hair shaved . The affected areas look plain while the savaged trees with the stems measuring about 3ft in diameter lie wasted with branches piled up high when Saturday Vanguard Sports visited the stadium Thursday.

A study of the positioning of the trees and the camera revealed that Mrs. Oreweme was clearly off the mark with her claims that the plants were obstructing the moribund CCTVs. The trees were behind the cameras that are facing the ramps leading to the Stadium stands.

Sources at the stadium manager’s office stated that Mrs. Oreweme had often gone out of her area of responsibility and tried to run the stadium as if it was her primary area of assignment.

“She has been usurping the duties of the stadium manager. And being a superior officer there was nothing the manager could do to halt her activities,” said the source.