Ikoyi Club 1938 marked Nigerian Children’s Day with a full day of activities for the children and dependents of registered members, transforming its Lagos grounds into a sprawling entertainment and learning hub that combined fun with a deliberate effort to nurture the next generation of club custodians.
The celebrations coincided with the Eid al-Fitr holiday this year, making for a particularly festive atmosphere as children arrived with their parents and friends to enjoy a wide range of offerings.
Activities spanned book reading sessions with prizes, Virtual Reality gaming, PlayStation hubs, interactive electronic games, bouncy castles, slides, egg hunts, face painting, and sweet treats — a mix designed to engage children of varying ages and interests across the course of the day.
General Manager of Ikoyi Club 1938, Babatunde Orungbeja, described the celebration as a cherished annual tradition with a purpose that extends well beyond a single day of fun.
“The Children’s Day, which is a global thing, coincided with Sallah this year. We have all the children of members of the club, and some with their friends, enjoying the facilities, the entertainment, and the serenity of the environment while socialising with one another,” he said.
For Orungbeja, the event is as much about institutional continuity as it is about celebration. The club, which turns 88 this year, has built its longevity on the deliberate passing of its values from one generation to the next, and occasions like the Children’s Day fiesta are central to that process.
“The club is 88 years old this year, and it’s about generations handing over the legacy of this club to younger ones. That’s how we have kept the club running. The impact is creating an atmosphere of socialisation among the children. Most of them are in school, so occasions like this give them time to socialise on a larger scale,” he said.
He noted that the inclusion of book reading sessions had produced an unexpected but welcome outcome, with children showing genuine enthusiasm for literacy activities before heading outdoors.
“After the reading sessions, they go out to the lawn to enjoy food, drinks, and play activities. It goes beyond a day of activities. It transcends over years in building their desire and love for the club and upholding its legacy,” Orungbeja added.
Organisers said the event also served as a broader reminder of the significance of Children’s Day as a platform for affirming the rights of young people to education, healthcare, protection, and joyful childhood experiences. For Ikoyi Club, the annual fiesta has become one of the clearest expressions of that commitment — one bounce castle, book, and beaming smile at a time.
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